sv3
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2011
Registration No. 333-_____
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
CoreSite Realty Corporation
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Maryland
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation or Organization)
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27-1925611
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
1050 17th Street, Suite 800
Denver, Colorado 80265
(866) 777-2673
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrants Principal Executive Offices)
Thomas M. Ray
President and Chief Executive Officer
CoreSite Realty Corporation
1050 17th Street, Suite 800
Denver, Colorado 80265
(866) 777-2673
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
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Patrick H. Shannon
Brandon J. Bortner
Latham & Watkins LLP
555 Eleventh Street NW, Suite 1000
Washington, District of Columbia 20004
(202) 637-2200
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Derek McCandless
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
CoreSite Realty Corporation
1050 17th Street, Suite 800
Denver, Colorado 80265
(866) 777-2673 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the
effective date of this Registration Statement as determined by market conditions.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or
continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities
offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.
þ
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule
462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities
Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the
earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a
post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to
General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of
securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and
smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer o
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Accelerated filer o
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Non-accelerated filer þ
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Smaller reporting company o |
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(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Proposed Maximum |
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Proposed Maximum |
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Amount Being |
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Offering Price |
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Aggregate |
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Amount of |
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Title of Securities Being Registered |
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Registered(1) |
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per Share(2) |
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Offering Price(2) |
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Registration Fee |
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Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
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26,165,000 shares
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$14.05
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$367,618,250
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$42,680.48 |
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(1) |
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Including an indeterminate number of shares which may be issued by CoreSite Realty
Corporation with respect to such shares of common stock by way of a stock dividend, stock
split or in connection with a stock combination, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or
otherwise. |
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(2) |
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Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee in accordance with Rule
457(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based upon the average of the high and low
prices of our common stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange on September 26, 2011. |
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be
necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that
specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in
accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this registration
statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section
8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these
securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
becomes effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not
soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
PROSPECTUS
26,165,000 Shares
CoreSite Realty Corporation
Common Stock
This prospectus relates to the possible issuance of up to 26,165,000 shares of our common
stock in exchange for units representing common limited partnership interests, or partnership
units, in CoreSite, L.P., our operating partnership, upon any redemption by one or more of the
limited partners pursuant to their contractual rights, and the possible resale from time to time of
some or all of such shares of common stock by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus. We
will not receive any cash proceeds from any issuance of the shares of our common stock covered by
this prospectus to the selling stockholders or from any resale of such shares by the selling
stockholders, but we have agreed to pay certain registration expenses relating to such shares of
our common stock. We will, however, acquire partnership units from any redeeming unitholders,
which will consequently increase our percentage ownership interest in CoreSite, L.P.
At September 28, 2011, as the sole general partner of CoreSite, L.P., we owned approximately
43% of our operating partnerships outstanding partnership units. The 26,165,000 units that may be
redeemed by the selling stockholders were issued as part of the restructuring transactions that
were effected on September 28, 2010, in connection with our initial public offering. We are
registering the applicable shares of our common stock to provide the selling stockholders with
freely tradable securities. The registration of the shares of our common stock covered by this
prospectus does not necessarily mean that any of the holders of partnership units will redeem their
units, that upon any such redemption we will elect, in our sole and absolute discretion, to
exchange some or all of the partnership units for shares of our common stock rather than cash, or
that any shares of our common stock received in exchange for partnership units will be sold by the
selling stockholders. The selling stockholders from time to time may offer and sell the shares held
by them directly or through agents or broker-dealers on terms to be determined at the time of sale,
as described in more detail in this prospectus.
To assist us in complying with certain federal income tax requirements applicable to real
estate investment trusts, or REITs, among other purposes, our charter contains certain restrictions
relating to the ownership and transfer of our capital stock. See Restrictions on Ownership and
Transfer beginning on page 12 of this prospectus.
Our common stock currently trades on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol
COR. On September 26, 2011, the last reported sales price of our common stock on the NYSE was $14.23 per share.
You should consider the risks that we have described in Risk Factors on page 2 before making
a decision to invest in our common stock.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has
approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
References in this prospectus to we, our, us and our company collectively refer to
CoreSite Realty Corporation, a Maryland corporation, CoreSite, L.P., and any of our other
subsidiaries. CoreSite, L.P. is a Delaware limited partnership of which we are the sole general
partner and to which we refer in this prospectus as our operating partnership, and CoreSite
Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is our taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS.
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into
prospectus. Neither we nor any of the selling stockholders have authorized anyone to provide you
with information or make any representation that is different. If anyone provides you with
different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the
registered securities to which it relates, and this prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell
or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where, or to any person to
whom, it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. The information contained in this
prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus.
We may provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of a
particular offering by the selling stockholders. The prospectus supplement may add, update or
change information in this prospectus. If the information in this prospectus is inconsistent with a
prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should
read both this prospectus and, if applicable, any prospectus supplement, as well as the other
information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus
supplement hereto. See Where You Can Find More Information and Incorporation of Certain
Information by Reference for more information.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents that we incorporate by
reference in each contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (set forth in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, or the
Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act). Also,
documents we subsequently file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, and
incorporate by reference will contain forward-looking statements. In particular, statements
pertaining to our capital resources, portfolio performance and results of operations contain
forward-looking statements. Likewise, our pro forma financial statements and our statements
regarding anticipated growth in our funds from operations, or FFO, and anticipated market
conditions, demographics and results of operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, and you should not rely on them as predictions
of future events. Forward-looking statements depend on assumptions, data or methods which may be
incorrect or imprecise, and we may not be able to realize them. We do not guarantee that the
transactions and events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all). You
can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as
believes, expects, may, will, should, seeks, approximately, intends, plans, pro
forma, estimates or anticipates or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or
phrases. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or
intentions. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to
differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in the forward-looking statements:
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the geographic concentration of our data centers in certain markets and any adverse
developments in local economic conditions or the demand for data center space in these
markets; |
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fluctuations in interest rates and increased operating costs; |
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difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; |
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the significant competition in our industry and an inability to lease vacant space,
renew existing leases or release space as leases expire; |
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lack of sufficient customer demand to realize expected returns on our investments to
expand our property portfolio; |
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decreased revenue from costs and disruptions associated with any failure of our physical
infrastructure or services; |
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our ability to lease available space to existing or new customers; |
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our failure to obtain necessary outside financing; |
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our failure to qualify or maintain our status as a REIT; |
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financial market fluctuations; |
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changes in real estate and zoning laws and increases in real property tax rates; |
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delays or disruptions in third-party network connectivity; |
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inability to renew net leases on the data center properties we lease; and |
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other factors affecting the real estate industry generally. |
While forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of
future performance. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a further discussion of
these and other factors that could impact our future results, performance or transactions, see the
section in this prospectus entitled Risk Factors, including the risks incorporated therein from
our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 11, 2011, as updated by our
subsequent filings.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the
SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the public reference room of the
SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549. Information about the operation of the public
reference room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Copies of all or a portion of
the registration statement can be obtained from the public reference room of the SEC upon payment
of prescribed fees. Our SEC filings, including our registration statement, are also available to
you on the SECs website, www.sec.gov.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3, of which this prospectus is a
part, including exhibits, schedules and amendments filed with, or incorporated by reference in,
this registration statement, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act,
with respect to the shares of our common stock registered hereby. This prospectus and any
applicable prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information set forth in the
registration statement and exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. For further
information with respect to our company and the shares of our common stock registered hereby,
reference is made to the registration statement, including the exhibits to the registration
statement. Statements contained in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement as to
the contents of any contract or other document referred to in, or incorporated by reference in,
this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement are not necessarily complete and, where
that contract is an exhibit to the registration statement, each statement is qualified in all
respects by the exhibit to which the reference relates.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information that we
file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to
those documents. The incorporated documents contain significant information about us, our business
and our finances. Any information contained in this prospectus or in any document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus will be deemed to have been modified or
superseded to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, in any other document we
subsequently file with the SEC that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this prospectus or in the applicable prospectus supplement, modifies or supersedes the original
statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to be a part of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the following documents we
filed with the SEC:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 filed with
the SEC on March 11, 2011; |
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our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 4,
2011, as amended on May 6, 2011; |
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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31 and June 30,
2011 filed with the SEC on May 6, 2011 and August 5, 2011, respectively; |
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our Current Reports on Form 8-K or 8-K/A, as applicable, filed with the SEC on January 6, 2011, February 11, 2011, February 25, 2011, March 1, 2011,
May 24, 2011 and August 15, 2011; |
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the description of our common stock included in our registration statement on
Form 8-A filed with the SEC on September 21, 2010; and |
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all documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and prior to the
termination of the offering of the underlying securities. |
We also specifically incorporate by reference any documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant
to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial
registration statement and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement.
To the extent that any information contained in any current report on Form 8-K, or any exhibit
thereto, was furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, such information or exhibit is
specifically not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a
prospectus is delivered, on written or oral request of that person, a copy of any or all of the
documents we are incorporating by reference into this prospectus, other than exhibits to those
documents unless those exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents.
A request should be addressed in writing to CoreSite Realty Corporation, at 1050 17th Street, Suite
800, Denver, CO 80265 or by telephone at (866) 777-2673.
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OUR COMPANY
We are an owner, developer and operator of strategically located data centers in some of the
largest and fastest growing data center markets in the United States, including Los Angeles, the
San Francisco Bay and Northern Virginia areas, Chicago and New York City. Our data centers feature
advanced power, cooling and security systems, including twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week
security staffing, and many are points of dense network interconnection. We are able to satisfy the
full spectrum of our customers data center requirements by providing data center space ranging in
size from an entire building or large dedicated suite to a cage or cabinet. We lease our space to a
broad and growing customer base ranging from enterprise customers to less space-intensive, more
network-centric customers. Our operational flexibility allows us to selectively lease data center
space to its highest and best use depending on customer demand, regional economies and property
characteristics.
The first data center in our portfolio was purchased in 2000 and since then we have continued
to acquire, redevelop, develop and operate these types of facilities. Our properties are
self-managed, including with respect to construction project management in connection with our
redevelopment and development initiatives. As of June 30, 2011, our property portfolio included 11
operating data center facilities, one data center under construction and one development site,
which collectively comprised over 2.0 million net rentable square feet, or NRSF, of which
approximately 1.1 million NRSF represented existing data center space.
The first data center in our portfolio was purchased in 2000 through an investment by a real
estate fund affiliated with The Carlyle Group, or Carlyle. Since the acquisition of that data
center, we have expanded our portfolio through additional investments by various Carlyle real
estate funds or their affiliates. Although our data center portfolio has been owned by these
various Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates, all of our data centers have been operated
or managed by our management team since they initially were acquired or developed.
We are a fully integrated, self-administered, and self-managed real estate investment trust,
or REIT. As the sole general partner of our operating partnership, we are engaged in the business
of ownership, acquisition, construction and management of technology-related real estate.
CoreSite Realty Corporation was formed as a Maryland corporation on February 17, 2010. While
we initially elected to be treated as an S corporation for federal income tax purposes, we
terminated our S corporation status shortly before completion of our initial public offering
(thereby ending the S corporation tax year), elected to be a REIT for federal income tax purposes
for our short taxable year ended on December 31, 2010 and intend to qualify as a REIT for federal
income tax purposes for subsequent taxable years. We also conduct certain activities through our
TRS, CoreSite Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
Our corporate offices are located at 1050 17th Street, Suite 800, Denver, CO 80265. Our
telephone number is (866) 777-2673. Our website is www.coresite.com. The information contained on,
or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into and should not be
considered a part of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement.
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in our common stock involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk
factors incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, the risks
discussed below and the other information contained in this prospectus, as updated by our
subsequent filings under the Exchange Act, before exchanging partnership units for shares of our
common stock or purchasing shares of our common stock from the selling stockholders. Some
statements in this prospectus, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute
forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section entitled Forward-Looking Statements.
Risks Related to Exchange of Partnership Units for Common Stock
The exchange of partnership units for our common stock is a taxable transaction.
The exchange of partnership units for shares of our common stock (which may occur following
the tender of such partnership units for redemption if we elect to acquire such units for shares of
our common stock) will generally be treated for federal income tax purposes as a sale of such
partnership units by the limited partner making the exchange. A limited partner will realize gain
or loss for federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares
of our common stock received in the exchange, plus the amount of our operating partnerships
liabilities allocable to the partnership units being exchanged, less the limited partners adjusted
tax basis in the partnership units exchanged. The recognition of any loss resulting from an
exchange of partnership units for shares of our common stock is subject to a number of limitations
set forth in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. It is possible that the
amount of gain recognized or even the tax liability resulting from the gain could exceed the value
of the shares of our common stock received upon the exchange. In addition, the ability of a limited
partner to sell a substantial number of shares of our common stock in order to raise cash to pay
tax liabilities associated with the exchange of the partnership units may be restricted and, as a
result of stock price fluctuations, the price the limited partner receives for the shares of our
common stock may not equal the value of the partnership units at the time of the exchange.
An investment in our common stock is different from an investment in partnership units.
If a limited partner exchanges his or her partnership units for shares of our common stock, he
or she will become one of our stockholders rather than a limited partner in our operating
partnership. Although the nature of an investment in our common stock is similar to an investment
in partnership units, there are also differences between ownership of partnership units and
ownership of our common stock. These differences include:
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form of organization; |
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management control; |
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voting and consent rights; |
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liquidity; and |
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federal income tax considerations. |
Following an exchange of partnership units for shares of our common stock, a unitholder will
forgo certain rights, including, among others, certain voting rights with respect to specified
matters related to the operating partnership. See Exchange of Partnership Units for Common Stock
for a more detailed description of the differences between ownership of partnership units and
ownership of our common stock.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock
Our cash available for distribution to stockholders may not be sufficient to pay distributions
at expected levels, nor can we assure you of our ability to make distributions in the future, and
we may need to borrow in order to make such distributions or may not be able to make such
distributions at all.
All distributions will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on
our earnings, our financial condition, our REIT qualification and other factors as our board of
directors may deem relevant from time to time. We may not be able to make
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distributions in the future and may need to borrow funds to make distributions to maintain our qualification as a REIT.
In addition, some of our distributions may include a return of capital.
Market interest rates may have an effect on the value of our common stock.
One of the factors that will influence the price of our common stock will be the dividend
yield on our common stock (the amount of the dividend as a percentage of the price of our common
stock) relative to market interest rates. An increase in market interest rates, which are currently
at low levels relative to historical rates, may lead prospective purchasers of our common stock to
expect a higher dividend yield and higher interest rates would likely increase our borrowing costs
and potentially decrease funds available for distribution. Thus, higher market interest rates could
cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
The number of shares available for future sale could adversely affect the market price of our
common stock.
We cannot predict whether future issuances of shares of our common stock or the availability
of shares for resale in the open market will decrease the market price per share of our common
stock. Sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public market, or upon
exchange of partnership units under this prospectus, or the perception that such sales might occur
could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
The exchange of partnership units for our common stock, the exercise of any options or the
vesting of any restricted stock granted to certain directors, officers and other employees under
the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan of CoreSite Realty Corporation and CoreSite, L.P., the issuance of
our common stock or partnership units in connection with property, portfolio or business
acquisitions and other issuances of our common stock could have an adverse effect on the market
price of our common stock, and the existence of partnership units, options, shares of our common
stock reserved for issuance as restricted shares of our common stock or upon exchange of
partnership units or conversion of any subsequently issued preferred stock, convertible debt
securities or other securities may adversely affect the terms upon which we may be able to obtain
additional capital through the sale of equity securities. In addition, future sales of shares of
our common stock may be dilutive to existing stockholders.
Our earnings and cash distributions will affect the market price of shares of our common
stock.
We believe that the market value of a REITs equity securities is based primarily upon market
perception of the REITs growth potential and its current and potential future cash distributions,
whether from operations, sales, acquisitions, development or refinancing, and is secondarily based
upon the value of the underlying assets. For these reasons, shares of our common stock may trade at
prices that are higher or lower than the net asset value per share. To the extent we retain
operating cash flow for investment purposes, working capital reserves or other purposes rather than
distributing the cash flow to stockholders, these retained funds, while increasing the value of our
underlying assets, may negatively impact the market price of our common stock. Our failure to meet
market expectations with regard to future earnings and cash distributions would likely adversely
affect the market price of our common stock.
Our share price could be volatile and could decline, resulting in a substantial or complete
loss on our stockholders investment.
The stock markets, including the NYSE, on which we list our common stock, have experienced
significant price and volume fluctuations. As a result, the market price of our common stock could
be similarly volatile, and investors in our common stock may experience a decrease in the value of
their shares, including decreases unrelated to our operating performance or prospects. The price of
our common stock could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a number of factors,
including:
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our operating performance and the performance of other similar companies; |
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actual or anticipated differences in our operating results; |
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changes in our revenue or earnings estimates or recommendations by securities
analysts; |
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publication of research reports about us or our industry by securities analysts; |
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changes in market valuations of similar companies; |
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adverse market reaction to any additional debt we incur in the future; |
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additions and departures of key personnel; |
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strategic decisions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions, divestments,
spin-offs, joint ventures, strategic investments or changes in business strategy; |
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the passage of legislation or other regulatory developments that adversely affect us
or our industry; |
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speculation in the press or investment community; |
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the realization of any of the other risk factors presented or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus; |
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actions by institutional stockholders; |
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changes in accounting principles; |
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terrorist acts; and |
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general market conditions, including factors unrelated to our performance. |
In the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies
following periods of volatility in their stock price. This type of litigation could result in
substantial costs and divert our managements attention and resources.
Future offerings of debt, which would be senior to our common stock upon liquidation, and/or
preferred equity securities which may be senior to our common stock for purposes of dividend
distributions or upon liquidation, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
In the future, we may increase our capital resources by making offerings of debt or preferred
equity securities, including trust preferred securities, senior or subordinated notes and preferred
stock. Upon liquidation, holders of our debt securities and shares of preferred stock and lenders
with respect to other borrowings will be entitled to receive distributions of our available assets
prior to the holders of our common stock. Additional equity offerings may dilute the holdings of
our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our common stock, or both. Holders of our
common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights or other protections against dilution. Because
our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other
factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our
future offerings. Thus, our stockholders bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market
price of our common stock and diluting their stock holdings in us.
If the Carlyle real estate funds and their affiliates tendered all of their partnership units
for redemption and we elected to acquire such units in exchange for shares of our common stock,
these funds would currently own approximately 57% of our issued and outstanding common stock, and
the resale of such shares into the market could have an adverse effect on the trading price of our
common stock and our ability to engage in concurrent capital raising initiatives.
If all of the partnership units currently held by the real estate funds affiliated with The
Carlyle Group are tendered for redemption and we elected to acquire such units in
exchange for shares of our common stock, these funds would currently own approximately 57% of our
common stock. See Selling Stockholders. The interests of the Carlyle real estate funds and their
affiliates as investors in our securities may differ from or conflict with the interests of our
other stockholders. The registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part registers the
resale of any shares of our common stock issued as consideration in exchange for partnership units tendered for
redemption by the Carlyle real estate funds and their affiliates. Accordingly, following the date
the SEC declares the registration statement effective, any shares so issued by us will be freely
tradable. The Carlyle real estate funds and their affiliates may seek to sell such shares of our
common stock into the public market as soon as market conditions are favorable and, if the Carlyle
real estate funds and their affiliates sell a large number of their shares into the public
market, such sales could reduce the trading price of our common stock and/or impede our ability to
engage in concurrent capital raising initiatives.
4
USE OF PROCEEDS
We are filing the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part pursuant to our
contractual obligation to the holders of our common stock and partnership units named in the
section entitled Selling Stockholders. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the issuance
of shares of our common stock to such holders or the resale of shares of our common stock from time
to time by such selling stockholders; however, we will acquire partnership units from any redeeming
unitholders, which will increase our percentage ownership in our operating partnership.
The selling stockholders will pay any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses they
incur for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses they incur in
disposing of the shares. We will bear all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the
registration of the shares covered by this prospectus. These may include, without limitation, all
registration and filing fees, NYSE listing fees, fees and expenses of our counsel and accountants,
and blue sky fees and expenses.
5
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The shares of common stock being registered for resale under this prospectus may be acquired
upon redemption of partnership units issued to the selling stockholders as part of our restructuring transactions that were
effected on September 28, 2010 in connection with our initial public offering.
Each of the selling stockholders may from time to time offer and sell, pursuant to this
prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, post-effective amendment or filing we make
with the SEC under the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the
common shares set forth opposite his, her or its name in the table below under the heading Maximum
Number of Shares of Our Common Stock to be Resold.
The following table sets forth, as of September 28, 2011, the maximum number of shares of our
common stock that may be issued to, and resold by, each selling stockholder should we elect to
issue shares of our common stock to such selling stockholder in exchange for all of the selling
stockholders partnership units.
The information is based on information provided by or on behalf of the selling stockholders. The
selling stockholders are not required to tender their partnership
units for redemption, nor are we required to
issue shares of common stock (in lieu of our operating partnership
redeeming the partnership units for cash) to any selling stockholder who elects
to tender partnership units. To the extent we do issue shares of common stock upon redemption, the
selling stockholders may offer all, some or none of the common shares shown in the table. Because
the selling stockholders may offer all or some portion of the shares of common stock, we have
assumed for purposes of completing the last two columns in the table that all shares of common
stock offered hereby will have been sold by the selling stockholders upon termination of sales
pursuant to this prospectus. In addition, since the date on which they provided the information,
the selling stockholders identified below may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of all
or a portion of their partnership units or common stock in transactions exempt from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act. Any changed information given to us by the selling
stockholders will be set forth in prospectus supplements, post-effective amendments or in filings
we make with the SEC under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus
if and when necessary.
Additional selling stockholders, including transferees, successors and donees of identified
selling stockholders, not named in this prospectus will not be able to use this prospectus for
resales until they are named in the selling stockholder table by prospectus supplement,
post-effective amendment or in a filing we make with the SEC under the Exchange Act that is
incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If required, we will add transferees, successors and
donees by prospectus supplement, post-effective amendment or in a filing we make with the SEC under
the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus in instances where the
transferee, successor or donee has acquired its shares from holders named in this prospectus after
the effective date of this prospectus.
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Common |
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Stock |
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the |
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the |
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DBD Investors V, L.L.C. (4) |
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25,275,390 |
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25,275,390 |
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TCG Holdings, L.L.C. (5) |
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889,610 |
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26,165,000 |
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26,165,000 |
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Amounts assume that all partnership units are exchanged for shares of our common stock. The
percentage ownership is determined for each selling stockholder by taking into account the
issuance and sale of shares of our common stock issued in exchange for partnership units of
only such selling stockholder. Also assumes that no transactions with respect to our common
stock or partnership units occur other than the exchange. |
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Based on a total of 19,850,442 shares of our common stock outstanding as of September 26,
2011. |
6
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Assumes the selling stockholders sell all of their shares of our common stock offered pursuant to this prospectus.
The percentage ownership is determined for each selling stockholder by taking into account the issuance and sale of
shares of our common stock issued in exchange for partnership units of only such selling stockholder. |
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Based on information provided to us by The Carlyle Group. CoreSite CRP III Holdings, LLC, CoreSite CRP III Holdings (VCOC), LLC,
CoreSite CRP IV Holdings, LLC, CoreSite CRP IV Holdings (VCOC I), LLC, CoreSite CRP IV Holdings (VCOC II), LLC and
CoreSite CRP V Holdings, LLC are the record holders of 6,222,640, 1,260,550, 4,360,826, 742,637, 1,908,756 and 10,779,980 partnership units
of CoreSite, L.P., respectively. DBD Investors V Holdings, L.L.C. exercises investment discretion and control over these partnership units through its
indirect subsidiary, TC Group Investment Holdings, L.P., which is the managing member of each of Carlyle Realty III GP, L.L.C., CRP III AIV GP, L.L.C.,
Carlyle Realty IV GP, L.L.C., CRP IV AIV GP, L.L.C. and Carlyle Realty V GP, L.L.C. |
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Carlyle Realty III GP, L.L.C. is the general partner of
Carlyle Realty III, L.P. which is the manager of CoreSite CRP III
Holdings, LLC. CRP III AIV GP, L.L.C. is the general partner of CRP III AIV GP, L.P., which is the general partner of CRQP III
AIV, L.P., which is the managing member of CoreSite CRP III Holdings (VCOC), LLC. Carlyle Realty IV GP, L.L.C. is the general
partner of Carlyle Realty IV, L.P., which is the manager of CoreSite CRP IV Holdings, LLC. CRP IV AIV GP, L.L.C. is the general
partner of CRP IV AIV GP, L.P., which is the general partner of each of CRP IV-A AIV, L.P. and CRQP IV AIV, L.P., which are the managing
members of CoreSite CRP IV Holdings (VCOC I), LLC and CoreSite CRP IV Holdings (VCOC II), LLC, respectively. Carlyle Realty V GP, L.L.C. is
the general partner of Carlyle Realty V, L.P., which is the manager of CoreSite CRP V Holdings, LLC. |
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DBD Investors V Holdings, L.L.C. is the managing member of DBD Investors V, L.L.C. DBD Investors V, L.L.C. is the
general partner of TCG Holdings II, L.P. TCG Holdings II, L.P. is the general partner of TC Group Investment Holdings, L.P.
DBD Investors V Holdings, L.L.C. is managed by a three person managing board, and all board action relating to the voting
or disposition of these partnership units requires approval of a majority of the board. William E. Conway, Jr., Daniel A. DAniello
and David M. Rubenstein, as the members of the DBD Investors V Holdings, L.L.C. managing board, may be deemed to share
beneficial ownership of the partnership units beneficially owned by DBD Investors V Holdings, L.L.C. Such persons disclaim beneficial
ownership of these units. DBD Investors V, L.L.C. can be reached c/o The Carlyle Group, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 220 South, Washington, DC 20004. |
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Based on information provided to us by The Carlyle Group. CoreSite CRP II/CP II Holdings, LLC, CoreSite CRP II Holdings (VCOC I), LLC,
and CoreSite CRP II Holdings (VCOC II) LLC are the record holders of 743,874, 48,404 and 97,332 partnership units of CoreSite, L.P., respectively.
TCG Holdings, L.L.C. exercises investment discretion and control over these partnership units through its indirect subsidiary, Carlyle Realty II, L.P.,
which is the manager of CoreSite CRP II/CP II Holdings, LLC and the general partner of each of Carlyle Realty Qualified Partners II(A), L.P.
and Carlyle Realty Qualified Partners II, L.P. Carlyle Realty Qualified Partners II(A), L.P. is the managing member of CoreSite CRP II Holdings (VCOC I), LLC. Carlyle
Realty Qualified Partners II, L.P. is the managing member of CoreSite CRP II Holdings (VCOC II) LLC. |
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TCG Holdings, L.L.C. is the managing member of TC Group, L.L.C. TC Group, L.L.C. is the managing member
of DBD Investors III, L.L.C. DBD Investors III, L.L.C. is the general partner of Carlyle Realty II, L.P. TCG Holdings, L.L.C.
is managed by a three person managing board, and all board action relating to the voting or disposition of these partnership
units requires approval of a majority of the board. William E. Conway, Jr., Daniel A. DAniello and David M. Rubenstein, as the
members of the TCG Holdings, L.L.C. managing board, may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the partnership units
beneficially owned by TCG Holdings, L.L.C. Such persons disclaim any such beneficial ownership. TCG Holdings, L.L.C.
can be reached c/o The Carlyle Group, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 220 South, Washington, DC 20004. |
7
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
This prospectus relates to our possible issuance from time to time of up to 26,165,000 shares
of common stock to the holders of up to 26,165,000 partnership units, upon the tender of such
partnership units for redemption pursuant to their contractual rights and the possible resale from
time to time of some or all of such shares of common stock by the selling stockholders named in
this prospectus. We are registering the issuance of shares of our common stock to permit
unitholders to sell such shares without restriction in the open market should such holders elect to
tender their partnership units for redemption. However, the registration of shares of our common stock hereunder does not
necessarily mean that any unitholders will elect to redeem their units or that, if any unitholders
do elect to redeem their units, they will sell the shares of common stock received upon redemption.
Also, upon any redemption of units, at our sole and absolute discretion we may elect to pay cash
for the units tendered rather than issuing shares of our common stock.
We will acquire one partnership unit from an exchanging partner in exchange for each share of
common stock that we issue. Consequently, with each redemption of partnership units our percentage
ownership interest in our operating partnership will increase. We will not receive any cash
proceeds from the issuance of the shares of our common stock. We will pay certain expenses incident
to the registration of the shares of our common stock offered herein.
The selling stockholders may, from time to time, sell any or all of the shares of our common
stock beneficially owned by them and offered hereby directly or through one or more underwriters,
broker-dealers or agents. The selling stockholders will be responsible for any underwriting
discounts or agents commissions. The common stock may be sold in one or more transactions at fixed
prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the
time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These prices will be determined by the selling stockholder
or by agreement between such stockholder and any underwriter broker-dealer or agent who receives
fees or commissions in connection with a sale. The selling stockholders may use any one or more of
the following methods when selling shares:
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on the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or quotation service on which the
securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; |
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in the over-the-counter market; |
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in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter
market; |
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through the writing of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange
or otherwise; |
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through ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer
solicits purchasers; |
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through block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent
but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the
transaction; |
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directly to one or more purchasers; |
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through agents; |
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through purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for
its account; |
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if we agree to it prior to the distribution, through one or more underwriters on a firm
commitment or best-efforts basis; |
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in an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
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in privately negotiated transactions; |
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through the settlement of short sales; |
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through loans or pledges of our common stock to a broker-dealer who may sell the common
stock so loaned or, upon a default, may sell or otherwise transfer the pledged stock; |
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a combination of any such methods of sale; and |
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any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The selling stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act rather
than under this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement.
8
In addition, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers
which may engage in short sales of shares in the course of hedging the positions they assume with
the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders may also sell shares short and deliver the
shares to close out such short position. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or
other transactions with broker-dealers that require the delivery by such broker-dealers of the
shares, which shares may be resold thereafter pursuant to this prospectus or any applicable
prospectus supplement.
Broker-dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to
participate in sales. If the selling stockholders effect such transactions through underwriters,
broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions in
the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or commissions from
purchasers of the shares of our common stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may
sell as principal, or both (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular
underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be less than or in excess of those customary in the
types of transactions involved).
The selling stockholders and any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that are involved in
selling the shares may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act in
connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such underwriters,
broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed
to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act.
The selling stockholders will be subject to the Exchange Act, including Regulation M, which
may limit the timing of purchases and sales of common stock by the selling stockholders and their
affiliates.
There can be no assurance that the selling stockholders will sell any or all of the shares of
common stock registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus or any
applicable prospectus supplement forms a part.
9
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
The following summary of the terms of the stock of our company is subject to and qualified in
its entirety by reference to our charter and bylaws, copies of which are exhibits to the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See Where You Can Find More
Information.
General
Our charter provides that we may issue up to 100,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, or common stock, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per
share, or preferred stock. Our charter authorizes our board of directors, with the approval of a
majority of the entire board and without any action by our stockholders, to amend our charter to
increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of authorized shares of
stock of any class or series. Under Maryland law, stockholders generally are not personally liable
for our debts or obligations solely as a result of their status as stockholders.
As
of September 26, 2011, there were 19,850,442 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding,
and no shares of preferred stock were issued and outstanding.
Common Stock
All shares of our common stock offered hereby will be duly authorized, fully paid and
nonassessable. Subject to the preferential rights of any other class or series of stock and to the
provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of stock, holders of
shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends on such stock if, as and when
authorized by our board of directors out of assets legally available therefor and declared by us
and to share ratably in the assets of our company legally available for distribution to our
stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up after payment of or
adequate provision for all known debts and liabilities of our company.
Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer
of stock, each outstanding share of our common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters
submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors and, except as provided
with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of such shares will possess the
exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of our board of directors,
which means that the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock can elect
all of the directors then standing for election and the holders of the remaining shares will not be
able to elect any directors.
Holders of shares of our common stock have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund
or redemption rights, and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities. Our
charter provides that stockholders generally have no appraisal rights unless our board of directors
determines prospectively that appraisal rights will apply to one or more transactions in which
holders of our common stock would otherwise be entitled to exercise appraisal rights. Subject to
the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of stock, shares
of our common stock will have equal dividend, liquidation and other rights.
Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot
dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a
statutory share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business
unless such action is advised by its board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of
stockholders holding at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter unless a
lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the
matter) is set forth in the corporations charter. Under the MGCL, the term substantially all of
the companys assets is not defined and is, therefore, subject to Maryland common law and to
judicial interpretation and review in the context of the unique facts and circumstances of any
particular transaction. Our charter provides that the foregoing items may be approved by a majority
of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, Maryland law permits a corporation to
transfer all or substantially all of its assets without the approval of the stockholders of the
corporation to one or more persons, including a subsidiary, if all of the equity interests of the
person or persons are owned, directly or indirectly, by the corporation. In addition, operating
assets may be held by a corporations subsidiaries, as in our situation, and these subsidiaries may
be able to transfer all or substantially all of such assets without a vote of the parent
corporations stockholders.
Our charter authorizes our board of directors to reclassify any unissued shares of our common
stock or preferred stock into other classes or series of stock, to establish the designation and
number of shares of each such class or series and to set, subject to the provisions of our charter
regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, the preferences, conversion or
other rights,
10
voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions,
qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of each such class or series.
Preferred Stock
Our charter authorizes our board of directors to classify and reclassify from time to time any
unissued shares of preferred stock or common stock into other classes or series of stock. Prior to
issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by the MGCL and our
charter to establish the number of shares in each class or series and to set, subject to the
provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock, the preferences,
conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other
distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each such class or series.
The issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power, dividend rights and other
rights of holders of our common stock. Our board of directors could establish a series of preferred
stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a
change in control of us that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in
the best interest of the holders thereof.
Power to Increase Authorized Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Our Common Stock and Preferred
Stock
Our board of directors has the power, without stockholder approval, to amend our charter to
increase the number of authorized shares of stock, to cause us to issue additional authorized but
unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued
shares of our common stock or preferred stock and thereafter to cause us to issue such classified
or reclassified shares of stock. The additional classes or series, as well as the common stock,
will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless stockholder
consent is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation
system on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although our board of directors does not
currently intend to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series that could, depending
upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change
of control of our company that might involve a premium price for our stockholders or otherwise be
in their best interest.
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
To assist us in complying with certain federal income tax requirements applicable to REITs,
among other purposes, we have adopted certain restrictions relating to the ownership and transfer
of our capital stock. See Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, LLC.
11
RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER
The following summary with respect to restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock
(including warrants and rights to acquire our stock) sets forth certain general terms and
provisions of our charter documents to which any prospectus supplement may relate. This summary
does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our
charter documents, as amended and supplemented from time to time, including any articles
supplementary relating to any issuance of preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus. Copies of
our existing charter documents are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are
incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a
part. Any amendment or supplement to our charter documents relating to an issuance of securities
pursuant to this prospectus shall be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and shall be
incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the applicable prospectus supplement. See Where You Can
Find More Information.
In order to qualify as a REIT under the Code, our stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or
more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than the first year for
which an election to be a REIT has been made) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable
year. Also, not more than 50% in value of our shares of stock outstanding may be owned, directly or
indirectly, by five or fewer individuals, as defined in the Code to include certain entities during
the last half of a taxable year other than the first year for which an election to be treated as a
REIT has been made.
In addition, if we, or one or more owners of 10% or more of our stock, actually or
constructively owns 10% or more of a customer or a customer of any partnership in which we are a
partner, the rent received by us either directly or through any such partnership from such customer
generally will not be qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests of the Code.
The constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and may cause capital stock owned
actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be owned
constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of the
common stock or capital stock or the acquisition or ownership of an interest in an entity that
owns, actually or constructively, common stock or capital stock, by an individual or entity could
nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own
constructively in excess of 9.8% of the outstanding common stock or capital stock and thus subject
such common stock or capital stock to the remedy provision under the ownership limits.
Our charter contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of any shares of our common
stock and capital stock that are intended to assist us in complying with these requirements and
continuing to qualify as a REIT. The relevant sections of our charter
provide, and any articles
supplementary creating our preferred stock will provide, that, subject to the exceptions described below, no person or entity may
actually or beneficially own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive
ownership provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is
more restrictive) of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or the common stock ownership
limit, or 9.8% (in value) of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of our capital stock,
excluding any shares of our capital stock that are not treated as outstanding for federal income
tax purposes, or the aggregate stock ownership limit. For purposes of determining the percentage
ownership of our capital stock by any person, warrants and rights to acquire capital stock that are
treated as owned by that person are deemed outstanding. The value and number of the outstanding
shares of our common stock and the value of the outstanding shares of capital stock will be
determined by the board of directors in good faith, which will be conclusive for all purposes. We
refer to these restrictions as the ownership limits. In addition, except as a person may be
exempted by our board of directors, no person may own capital stock either actually or
constructively to the extent that such ownership would cause us to actually or constructively own
10% or more of the ownership interests of any of our tenants or customers.
Subject to various conditions and limitations, our board of directors has granted exemptions
from the ownership limits to certain real estate funds affiliated with Carlyle and
their affiliates.
In addition to the ownership limits, our charter prohibits (a) any person from actually,
beneficially or constructively owning shares of our stock that would result in our being closely
held under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the interest is held during the
last half of a taxable year) or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT and (b) any
transfer of our stock if the transfer would result in our stock being beneficially owned by fewer
than 100 persons. Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or
constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate any of these restrictions,
or who is the intended transferee of shares of our stock that are transferred to the trust as
described below, must give us contemporaneous written notice or, in the case of a proposed or
attempted transaction, at least 15 days prior written notice, and provide us with such information
as we may request in order to determine the effect of the transfer on our status as a REIT.
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The restrictions on ownership and transfer of our common stock described above became
effective upon our initial public offering and, with respect to any other series of capital stock,
will become effective upon the completion of that offering and will not apply if our board of
directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to, or continue to,
qualify as a REIT or that compliance is no longer required in order for us to qualify as a REIT.
Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, prospectively or retroactively, exempt a
person from one or any of the ownership limits. However, our board of directors may not exempt any
person whose actual, beneficial or constructive ownership of our outstanding stock in excess of the
ownership limits would result in us being closely held within the meaning of Section 856(h) of
the Code (without regard to whether the interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or
otherwise would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT. Prior to granting an exemption our
board of directors may require the person seeking an exemption to make certain representations and
undertakings or to agree that any violation or attempted violation of these restrictions will
result in the automatic transfer of the shares of stock causing the violation to the trust
described below. Our board of directors may also require a ruling from the Internal Revenue
Service, or the IRS, or an opinion of counsel in order to determine or ensure our status as a REIT
and may impose any conditions or restrictions on an exemption as it deems appropriate.
Any attempted transfer of our stock that, if effective, would result in our stock being owned
by fewer than 100 persons will be null and void and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights
in such shares. Any attempted transfer of our stock which, if effective, would result in a
violation of any of the ownership limits, our being closely held under Section 856(h) of the Code
(without regard to whether the interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or our
otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT will cause the number of shares of stock causing the
violation (rounded up to the nearest whole share) to be automatically transferred to a trustee of a
trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries, and the proposed
transferee will not acquire any rights in the shares of stock. The automatic transfer will be
effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the attempted
transfer or other event that resulted in the transfer to the trust. If a transfer to the trust does
not occur or is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent a violation of the
applicable restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, then the attempted transfer that,
if effective, would have resulted in a violation of the restrictions on ownership and transfer of
our stock will be null and void and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares.
Shares of our stock held in the trust will be issued and outstanding. The proposed transferee
shall have no rights in the shares held by the trustee. The proposed transferee will not benefit
economically from ownership of any shares of our stock held in the trust, and will have no rights
to dividends and no rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares of stock held in the
trust. The trustee of the trust will have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other
distributions with respect to shares of stock held in the trust. These rights will be exercised by
the trustee of the trust for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary. Any dividend or
other distribution paid prior to our discovery that shares of stock have been transferred to the
trustee must be paid by the recipient to the trustee upon demand. Any dividend or other
distribution authorized but unpaid will be paid when due to the trustee. Any dividend or other
distribution paid to the trustee will be held in trust for the charitable beneficiary. Subject to
Maryland law, the trustee may (i) rescind as void any vote cast by the proposed transferee prior to
our discovery that the shares of our stock have been transferred to the trustee and (ii) recast the
vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable
beneficiary. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee may
not rescind or recast the vote.
Within 20 days of receiving notice from us that shares of stock have been transferred to the
trust, the trustee must sell the shares of stock to a person designated by the trustee whose
ownership of the stock will not violate any of the foregoing restrictions on ownership and transfer
of our stock. Upon the sale, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the stock sold will
terminate and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed transferee
and to the charitable beneficiary as follows. The proposed transferee will receive the lesser of
(i) the price paid by the proposed transferee for the shares of stock or, if the proposed
transferee did not give value for the shares of stock in connection with the event causing the
shares of stock to be held in the trust (e.g., a gift, devise or other similar transaction), the
market price of the shares of stock, which will generally be the last sale price of our stock
reported on the NYSE, on the day of the event that resulted in the transfer of such stock to the
trust and (ii) the price per share received by the trustee (net of any commissions and other
expenses of the sale) from the sale or other disposition of the stock. The trustee may reduce the
amount payable to the proposed transferee by the amount of any dividends or other distributions
that we paid to the proposed transferee before we discovered that the shares of stock had been
transferred to the trust and that is owed by the proposed transferee to the trustee as described
above. Any net sale proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the proposed transferee must be
paid immediately to the charitable beneficiary. If, prior to our discovery that shares of stock
have been transferred to the trust, the shares of stock are sold by the proposed transferee, then
(i) the shares of stock will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and (ii) to the
extent that the proposed transferee received an amount for the shares of our stock that exceeds the
amount the proposed transferee was entitled to receive, the excess must be paid to the trustee upon
demand.
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In addition, shares of our stock held in the trust will be deemed to have been offered for
sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in
the transaction that resulted in the transfer to the trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift,
the market price of the shares at the time of the devise or gift) and (ii) the market price, on the
date we, or our designee, accept the offer. We may reduce the amount payable to the proposed
transferee by the amount of any dividends or other distributions that we paid to the proposed
transferee and are owed by the proposed transferee to the trustee as described above, and we may
pay such amount to the trustee for distribution to the charitable beneficiary. We may accept the
offer until the trustee has sold the stock. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable
beneficiary in the stock sold will terminate and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of
the sale to the proposed transferee.
Any certificates representing shares of our stock, and any notices delivered in lieu of
certificates with respect to the issuance or transfer of uncertificated shares of our stock, will
bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.
Every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations
promulgated thereunder) of our outstanding stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable
year, must give us written notice, stating the stockholders name and address, the number of shares
of each class and series of our stock beneficially owned and a description of the manner in which
such shares are held. Each such owner must provide us with any additional information we may
request in order to determine the effect, if any, of the stockholders beneficial ownership on our
status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the common stock ownership limit and the aggregate
stock ownership limit. In addition, each stockholder must, upon demand, provide us with such
information as we may request, in good faith, in order to determine our status as a REIT and to
comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such
compliance.
The board of directors has determined that the restrictions on transferability and ownership
of shares of stock are necessary and advisable for us to qualify as a REIT. The charter provides
that the current restrictions may be modified by our board of directors, without a stockholder
vote, provided that (a) the board of directors determines that such modification is necessary or
advisable to assist us in qualifying as a REIT as a result of a change in the provisions of the
Code or any regulation thereunder, published ruling or interpretation of such provisions or
regulations relating to requirements to qualify as a REIT; (b) upon such determination, the board
of directors will adopt a resolution setting forth such modification; and (c) we will file a
certificate of notice with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that sets
forth the modification.
These restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock could delay, defer or prevent a
transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for the common stock or that
our common stockholders might otherwise believe is in their best interests.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF CORESITE, L.P.
We have summarized the material terms and provisions of the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of CoreSite, L.P., which we refer to as the partnership agreement. This summary
is not complete. For more detail, you should refer to the partnership agreement itself, a copy of
which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part. For
purposes of this section, references to we, our, us and our company refer to CoreSite
Realty Corporation.
General
All of our assets are held by, and substantially all of our operations are conducted through,
our operating partnership, either directly or through subsidiaries. We are the general partner of
the operating partnership and, as of June 30, 2011, we owned 43% of the outstanding common units in
the operating partnership, or the partnership units.
Certain persons who contributed interests in properties and/or other assets pursuant to the
restructuring transactions that occurred concurrently with our companys initial public offering
received common units in our operating partnership. Holders of common units in the operating
partnership are generally entitled to share in cash distributions from, and in the profits and
losses of, the operating partnership in proportion to their respective percentage interests of
common units in the operating partnership if and to the extent authorized by us and subject to the
preferential rights of holders of outstanding preferred units. The units in the operating
partnership are not listed on any exchange or quoted on any national market system.
Provisions in the partnership agreement could discourage third parties from making proposals
involving an unsolicited acquisition of us or change of our control, although some stockholders
might consider such proposals, if made, desirable. These provisions also make it more difficult for
third parties to alter the management structure of the operating partnership without the
concurrence of our board of directors. These provisions include, among others:
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redemption rights of qualifying parties; |
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transfer restrictions on units, including our partnership units; |
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our ability, as general partner, in some cases, to amend the partnership
agreement and to cause the partnership to issue preferred units with terms that we,
in our capacity as the general partner of our operating partnership, may determine,
without the consent of the limited partners; and |
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the right of the limited partners to consent to transfers of the general
partnership interest and mergers under specified circumstances. |
Management of Our Operating Partnership
Our operating partnership, CoreSite, L.P., is a Delaware limited partnership that was formed
on May 4, 2010. Our company is the sole general partner of our operating partnership, and we
conduct substantially all of our business in or through it. As sole general partner of our
operating partnership, we exercise exclusive and complete responsibility and discretion in its
day-to-day management and control. We can cause our operating partnership to enter into major
transactions including acquisitions, dispositions and refinancings, subject to certain limited
exceptions. The limited partners of our operating partnership may not transact business for, or
participate in the management activities or decisions of, our operating partnership, except as
provided in the partnership agreement and as required by applicable law. We may not be removed as
general partner by the limited partners without our consent. The partnership agreement restricts
our ability to engage in a business combination as more fully described in Termination
Transactions below.
The limited partners of our operating partnership expressly acknowledge that we, as general
partner of our operating partnership, are acting for the benefit of the operating partnership, the
limited partners and our stockholders collectively. Neither our company nor our board of directors
is under any obligation to give priority to the separate interests of the limited partners or our
stockholders in deciding whether to cause our operating partnership to take or decline to take any
actions, except as described below. If there is a conflict between the interests of our
stockholders on the one hand and the limited partners on the other, we will endeavor in good faith
to resolve the conflict in a manner not adverse to either our stockholders or the limited partners.
The limited partners agree that the
status of the general partner as a REIT and as a reporting company under Section 12 of the
Exchange Act with our shares listed on an
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exchange is of benefit to the operating partnership and
that all actions taken in good faith by the general partner in support thereof shall be deemed
actions taken for the benefit of the operating partnership and all partners including the limited
partners. We are not liable under the partnership agreement to our operating partnership or to any
partner for monetary damages for losses sustained, liabilities incurred or benefits not derived by
the limited partners in connection with such decisions; provided, that we have acted in good faith
and in accordance with the terms of the partnership agreement.
The partnership agreement provides that all of our business activities, including all
activities pertaining to the acquisition and operation of properties, must be conducted through our
operating partnership, and that our operating partnership must be operated in a manner that will
enable us to continue to satisfy the requirements for being classified as a REIT.
Transferability of Interests
Except in connection with a transaction described in Termination Transactions below, we,
as general partner, may not voluntarily withdraw from our operating partnership, or transfer or
assign all or any portion of our interest in our operating partnership, without the consent of the
holders of a majority of the limited partnership interests. The limited partners have agreed not to
sell, assign, encumber or otherwise dispose of their operating partnership units to any person
(other than to us, as general partner, to immediate family members or any trust for their benefit,
to affiliates of such partner, including, without limitation, any entity controlled by such
partner, to a charitable entity or a trust for their benefit, or to a lending institution as
collateral for a bona fide loan, subject to certain limitations) unless they have provided us a
right of first offer. All transfers must be made only to accredited investors as defined under
Rule 501 of the Securities Act or otherwise in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Board of Directors
Our bylaws require that nominees for director, whether for election by the stockholders or by
the board of directors, shall include such number of individuals as are entitled to be nominated
pursuant to the partnership agreement. The operating partnership agreement provides that for so
long as the number of operating partnership units and shares of common stock held collectively by
the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates is equal to or greater than 50% of the total
number of shares of outstanding common stock (assuming all operating partnership units are
exchanged for common stock), certain of these funds shall have the right to nominate the number of
directors that is one less than the lowest whole number that would exceed one-third of the
directors, but not less than one director. With the board of directors having seven members, this
would enable these Carlyle real estate funds to nominate two directors, although such nomination
will be subject to the vote of the stockholders. Such rights to nominate directors would also
decrease as follows (in each case assuming all operating partnership units are exchanged for common
stock):
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if the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates collectively owned less than
50% but at least 10% of the outstanding common stock, then certain of these funds or
their affiliates would be entitled to nominate the number of directors that is one
less than the lowest whole number that would exceed 20% of the directors, but not
less than one director; |
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if the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates collectively owned less than
10% of the outstanding common stock, then such funds would no longer be entitled to
nominate any directors. |
Our board of directors consists of seven directors. Our charter and bylaws provide that the
number of directors constituting our board of directors may be increased or decreased by a majority
vote of our board of directors, provided that the number of directors may not be decreased to fewer
than the minimum number required under the MGCL, which is one, nor increased to more than 15.
Amendments of the Partnership Agreement
Amendments to the partnership agreement may be proposed by us, as general partner, or by the
limited partners owning at least 50% of the operating partnership units held by the limited
partners.
Generally, the partnership agreement may not be amended, modified or terminated without the
approval of both the general partner and limited partners holding a majority of all outstanding
operating partnership units held by the limited partners (other than, in each case, operating
partnership units owned directly or indirectly by us). As general partner, we have the power to
unilaterally make certain amendments to the partnership agreement without obtaining the consent of
the limited partners as may be required to:
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add to our obligations as general partner or surrender any right or power granted
to us as general partner or any of our affiliates for the benefit of the limited
partners; |
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reflect the issuance of additional operating partnership units, transfer of any
partnership interest or the admission, substitution, termination or withdrawal of
limited partners in each case in accordance with the terms of the partnership
agreement; |
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reflect a change of an inconsequential nature that does not adversely affect the
limited partners in any material respect, or cure any ambiguity, correct or
supplement any provisions of the partnership agreement not inconsistent with law or
with other provisions of the partnership agreement, or make other changes concerning
matters under the partnership agreement that will not otherwise be inconsistent with
the partnership agreement or law; |
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set forth or amend the designations, rights, preferences, privileges and other
terms and conditions of any new class of partnership interest permitted to be issued
under the partnership agreement; |
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satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines of federal or state law; |
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reflect changes that are reasonably necessary for us, as general partner, to
maintain our status as a REIT or to satisfy REIT requirements, reflect the transfer
of all or any part of a partnership interest among the general partner and any
entity disregarded as separate from the general partner for tax purposes or to
ensure that the operating partnership will not be classified as a publicly traded
partnership for tax purposes; |
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modify the manner in which capital accounts are computed or net income or net
loss are allocated; or |
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reflect any other modification as is reasonably necessary for the business or
operation of the operating partnership or the general partner, which does not
violate the restrictions on the general partner. |
Amendments that would, among other things, convert a limited partners interest into a general
partners interest, modify the limited liability of a limited partner, adversely alter a partners
right to receive any distributions or allocations of profits or losses, adversely alter or modify
the redemption rights, reduce any limited partners right to indemnity, create any liability of a
limited partner, amend the nominating rights of the Carlyle limited partners, amend these
restrictions or admit any other person as a general partner other than in accordance with the
successor provisions of the agreement or alter the protections of the limited partners in
connection with termination transactions described below, which, in each case, must be approved by
each limited partner that would be adversely affected by such amendment.
In addition, without the written consent of a majority of the operating partnership units held
by limited partners (other than operating partnership units owned directly or indirectly by us),
we, as general partner, may not do any of the following:
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take any action in contravention of an express prohibition or limitation
contained in the partnership agreement; |
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perform any act that would subject a limited partner to liability as a general
partner in any jurisdiction or any liability not contemplated in the limited
partnership agreement; |
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enter into any contract, mortgage loan or other agreement that prohibits or
restricts, or has the effect of prohibiting or restricting, the ability of a limited
partner to exercise its redemption/exchange rights explained below; |
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withdraw from the operating partnership or transfer any portion of our general
partnership interest; or |
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be relieved of our obligations under the partnership agreement following any
permitted transfer of our general partnership interest. |
Distributions to Unitholders
Our partnership agreement provides that we are required to distribute quarterly all, or such
portions as we may determine in our sole and absolute discretion, of the available cash (as such
term is defined in the partnership agreement) of our operating partnership to us and the limited
partners as follows:
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first, with respect to any other units that are entitled to any preference in
distribution, in accordance with the rights of such class or classes of units, and,
within such class or classes, among the holders of such units, pro rata in
proportion to their respective percentage interests; and |
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second, with respect to any units that are not entitled to any preference in
distribution, including partnership units, in accordance with the rights of holders
of such units, as applicable, and, within such class, among the holders of such
units, pro rata in proportion to their respective percentage interests. |
Distributions payable with respect to any units that were not outstanding during the entire
quarterly period in respect of which a distribution is made, other than units issued to us in
connection with the issuance of shares of our common stock, will be prorated based on the portion
of the period that such units were outstanding.
Redemption/Exchange Rights
After 12 months of becoming a holder of partnership units, limited partners have the right to
require our operating partnership to redeem part or all of their partnership units for cash based
upon the fair market value of an equivalent number of shares of our companys common stock at the
time of the redemption. Alternatively, we may elect to acquire those partnership units in exchange
for shares of our companys common stock. Any such exchange will be on a one-for-one basis, subject
to adjustment in the event of stock splits, stock dividends, issuances of stock rights, specified
extraordinary distributions and similar events. We presently anticipate that we will elect to issue
shares of our companys common stock in exchange for partnership units in connection with each
redemption request, rather than having our operating partnership redeem the partnership units for
cash. With each redemption or exchange, we increase our companys percentage ownership interest in
our operating partnership. Commencing 12 months following the date of acquisition of partnership
units, limited partners who hold partnership units may exercise this redemption right from time to
time, in whole or in part, except when, as a consequence of shares of our common stock being
issued, any persons actual or constructive stock ownership would exceed our companys ownership
limits, or any other limit as provided in our charter or as otherwise determined by our board of
directors as described under the section entitled Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.
In addition, if the number of partnership units delivered by a limited partner for redemption,
together with other shares of our common stock owned or attributed to that limited partner, exceeds
9.8% of our outstanding common stock (in value or number, whichever is more restrictive) and we are
eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act, then we may also
elect to acquire the partnership units with the proceeds from a public offering or private placement
of our common stock. In the event we elect this option, we may require the other limited partners
also to elect whether or not to participate. Participating limited partners will receive on the
acquisition date the proceeds per share in the public offering (less any discount or commission),
but will have a limited opportunity to withdraw their partnership
units from the acquisition immediately prior to the pricing of the public offering.
Issuance of Additional Securities
As sole general partner, we have the ability to cause the operating partnership to issue
additional operating partnership units representing general and limited partnership interests in
one or more classes and series of any such class. These additional operating partnership units may
include preferred limited partnership units. In addition, we may issue additional shares of our
common stock or convertible securities, but only if we cause our operating partnership to issue to
us partnership interests or rights, options, warrants or convertible or exchangeable securities of
our operating partnership having designations, preferences and other rights, so that the economic
interests of our operating partnerships interests issued are substantially similar to the economic
interests of the securities that we have issued.
Capital Contributions
The partnership agreement provides that we, as general partner, may determine that our
operating partnership requires additional funds for the acquisition of additional properties or for
other purposes. Under the partnership agreement, we are obligated to contribute the proceeds of any
offering of our shares of stock as additional capital to our operating partnership.
The partnership agreement provides that we may make additional capital contributions,
including properties, to our operating partnership in exchange for additional operating partnership
units. If we contribute additional capital and receive additional partnership interests for the
capital contribution, our percentage interests will be increased on a proportionate basis based on
the amount of the additional capital contributions and the value of our operating partnership at
the time of the contributions. Conversely,
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the percentage interests of the other limited partners
will be decreased on a proportionate basis. In addition, if we contribute additional capital and
receive additional partnership interests for the capital contribution, the capital accounts of the
partners may be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any unrealized gain or loss attributable to
the properties as if there were an actual sale of the properties at the fair market value thereof.
No person has any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to making additional
capital contributions or loans to the operating partnership or the issuance or sale of any
operating partnership units or other partnership interests.
Our operating partnership could issue preferred partnership interests in connection with
acquisitions of property or otherwise. Any such preferred partnership interests would have priority
over common partnership interests with respect to distributions from our operating partnership,
including the partnership interests that our wholly owned subsidiaries own.
Tax Matters
We are the tax matters partner of our operating partnership and, as such, we have authority to
make tax elections under the Code on behalf of our operating partnership.
Allocations of Net Income and Net Losses to Partners
The
net income and loss of our operating partnership are allocated in accordance with the
terms of the partnership agreement. In general, the net income of our
operating partnership is allocated first to reverse certain prior net
losses (if any) and then to us and to holders of partnership units in accordance with our respective percentage
interests in our operating partnership. In general, net loss is allocated first to us and to
holders of partnership units in accordance with our respective percentage interests in our operating
partnership until the capital account in the relevant units is reduced to
zero and then to us as general
partner in the amount of any remaining net loss. However, in some cases losses may be
disproportionately allocated to partners who have guaranteed debt of our operating partnership. The
allocations described above are subject to special allocations relating to depreciation deductions
and to compliance with the provisions of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code and the associated
Treasury Regulations. See Federal Income Tax ConsiderationsTaxation of Our CompanyTax Aspects
of Our Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies.
Operations
The partnership agreement provides that we, as general partner, will determine in our
discretion and distribute available cash on a quarterly basis, pro rata in accordance with the
partners percentage interests. Available cash is the operating partnerships cash available for
distribution as determined by us. We intend to manage the operating partnership in a manner that
will enable us to maintain our qualification as a REIT and to avoid any federal income tax
liability.
The partnership agreement provides that our operating partnership will assume and pay when
due, or reimburse us for payment of all costs and expenses relating to the operations of, or for
the benefit of, our operating partnership.
Termination Transactions
The partnership agreement provides that our company may not and the operating partnership
shall not engage in any merger, consolidation or other combination with or into another person,
sale of all or substantially all of its assets or any reclassification or any recapitalization or
change in outstanding shares of our common stock or the operating partnerships partnership
interests (a termination transaction), unless in connection with a termination transaction,
(i) we obtain the consent of the holders of at least a majority of our partnership units
(including units held by us and the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates), or
(ii) any of:
(A) all limited partners will receive, or have the right to elect to receive, for each
partnership unit an amount of cash, securities or other property equal to the product of:
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the number of shares of our companys common stock into which each unit is
then exchangeable; and |
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the greatest amount of cash, securities or other property paid to the holder
of one share of our companys common stock in consideration of one share of our
common stock in connection with the termination transaction, |
provided that, if, in connection with a termination transaction, a purchase, tender or exchange
offer is made to and accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of our
companys common stock, each holder of partnership units will receive, or will have the right to
elect to receive, the greatest amount of cash, securities or other property which such holder would
have received had it exercised its redemption right and received shares of our common stock in
exchange for its operating partnership units immediately prior to the expiration of such purchase,
tender or exchange offer and accepted such purchase, tender or exchange offer; or
(B) the following conditions are met:
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substantially all of the assets of the surviving entity are held directly or
indirectly by our operating partnership or another limited partnership or limited
liability company which is the surviving partnership of a merger, consolidation
or combination of assets with our operating partnership; |
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the holders of partnership units own a percentage interest of the surviving
partnership based on the relative fair market value of the net assets of our
operating partnership and the other net assets of the surviving partnership
immediately prior to the consummation of this transaction; |
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the rights, preferences and privileges of such unit holders in the surviving
partnership are at least as favorable as those in effect immediately prior to the
consummation of the transaction and as those applicable to any other limited
partners or non-managing members of the surviving partnership; and |
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the limited partners may exchange their interests in the surviving partnership
for either the consideration available to the limited partners pursuant to the
first paragraph in this section, or the right to redeem their partnership units
for cash on terms equivalent to those in effect with respect to their units
immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction if the ultimate
controlling person of the surviving partnership has publicly traded common equity
securities, shares of those common equity securities, at an exchange ratio based
on the relative fair market value of those securities and our common stock; or |
(C) the terms are otherwise consented to by the limited partners holding a majority of
the limited partnership units.
Dissolution
Our operating partnership will dissolve, and its affairs will be wound up, upon the first to
occur of any of the following:
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an event of withdrawal, as defined in Delaware law, including, without
limitation, by reason of our bankruptcy, as general partner, unless, within 90 days
after the withdrawal, a majority of interest of the remaining partners agree in
writing to continue the business of our operating partnership and to the
appointment, effective as of the date of withdrawal, of a successor general partner; |
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an election to dissolve our operating partnership made by us as the general
partner, with the consent of the limited partners; or |
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the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our operating partnership
pursuant to the provisions of Delaware law. |
Upon dissolution of our operating partnership, the general partner, or, in the event that
there is no remaining general partner, a liquidator will proceed to liquidate the assets of our
operating partnership and apply the proceeds from such liquidation in the order of priority set
forth in the partnership agreement.
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Indemnification and Limitation of Liability
The partnership agreement indemnifies us, as general partner, our limited partners and our and
their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and any other persons we may designate from
and against any and all claims arising from operations of our operating partnership in which any
indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, to the
fullest extent provided under Delaware law.
Similarly, we, as general partner of our operating partnership, and our officers, directors,
agents or employees, are not liable or accountable to our operating partnership for losses
sustained, liabilities incurred or benefits not derived as a result of errors in judgment or
mistakes of fact or law or any act or omission so long as we acted in good faith.
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The following summary of certain provisions of Maryland law and of our charter and bylaws does
not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland
law and our charter and bylaws, copies of which are exhibits to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is a part. See Where You Can Find More Information and Incorporation of Certain
Information by Reference.
Board of Directors
Our charter provides that the number of directors may be increased or decreased by a majority
vote of our entire board of directors pursuant to our bylaws, provided the number of directors may
not be decreased to fewer than the minimum number required under the MGCL, which is one, nor
increased to more than 15. Under our partnership agreement, for so long as the Carlyle real estate
funds and their affiliates collectively own 10% or more of the outstanding common stock (assuming
all operating partnership units are exchanged for common stock), the board of directors may not
increase or decrease the number of directors unless, in the case of an increase, the number of
directors that the Carlyle real estate funds and their affiliates are entitled to nominate is also
increased, provided that the number of Carlyle nominees shall not exceed one-third of the entire
board of directors. Any and all vacancies on our board of directors may be filled by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, except that
a vacancy resulting from an increase in the size of the board of directors must be filled by a
majority vote of the entire board of directors, and any individual elected to fill such vacancy
will serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until a successor is duly elected and
qualifies.
Our bylaws require that nominees for director, whether for election by the stockholders or by
the board of directors, shall include such number of individuals as are entitled to be nominated
pursuant to the partnership agreement. Each of our directors will be elected by our stockholders to
serve for a one-year term and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. A plurality
of all votes cast on the matter at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present is
sufficient to elect a director. The presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast
a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at a meeting constitutes a quorum.
Removal of Directors
Our charter provides that, subject to the rights of our preferred stockholders to elect or
remove one or more of our directors, a director may be removed with or without cause only by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of
directors.
Business Combinations
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, among other things, a merger, consolidation, statutory share
exchange, or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or
reclassification of equity securities.
An interested stockholder is defined as:
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any person who beneficially owns ten percent or more of the voting power of the
corporations outstanding voting stock; or |
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an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year
period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of ten percent or
more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting 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 otherwise would have become an interested stockholder.
However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is
subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined
by the board of directors.
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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:
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80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting
stock of the corporation; and |
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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. |
These super-majority voting requirements do not apply if the corporations common stockholders
receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or
other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its
shares.
The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations
that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes
an interested stockholder. As permitted by statute, we have opted out of the business combination
provisions of the MGCL by resolution of our board of directors. However, our board of directors may
opt into these provisions if approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of
votes cast and with the consent of the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates, provided that
such consent of the Carlyle entities will not be required if at such time, they own less than 10%
of our outstanding common stock (assuming all operating partnership units are exchanged for common
stock).
If the foregoing resolution is rescinded, the business combination statute may discourage
others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating an offer.
Control Share Acquisitions
Maryland law provides that a holder of control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a
control share acquisition have no voting rights with respect to such shares except to the extent
approved by at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by stockholders entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors, but excluding the acquiring person, officers and employees
who are directors of the corporation. Control shares are voting shares of stock that, if aggregated
with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiring person or in respect of which the acquiring
person is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a
revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiring person to exercise voting power in electing directors
within one of the following ranges of voting power:
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one-tenth or more but less than one-third; |
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one-third or more but less than a majority; or |
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a majority or more of all voting power. |
Control shares do not include shares that the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a
result of having previously obtained stockholder approval or shares acquired directly from the
corporation. A control share acquisition means the direct or indirect acquisition of issued and
outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.
A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of
directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of
demand to consider the voting rights of the holder of the shares acquired or proposed to be
acquired. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of
certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for
a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.
If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver
an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may redeem for fair
value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been
approved. The right of our company to redeem control shares is subject to certain conditions and
limitations. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the
control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiring person or of
any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the holders of the
shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for the holder of the control shares
are approved at a stockholders meeting and
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the acquiring person becomes entitled to vote a majority
of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair
value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest
price per share paid by the acquiring person in the control share acquisition.
The control share acquisition statute does not apply (i) to shares acquired in a merger,
consolidation or statutory share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction, or (ii)
to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.
Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and
all acquisitions by any person of shares of our stock. However, our board of directors may opt into
these provisions if approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of votes
cast and, as it would apply to the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates, with the Carlyle
real estate funds or their affiliates consent, provided that the consent of the Carlyle entities
will not be required if at such time they own less than 10% of our outstanding common stock
(assuming all operating partnership units are exchanged for common stock).
There can be no assurance that, subject to the approval of our stockholders, this provision
will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future by our board of directors.
Amendment to our Charter and Bylaws
In general, our charter may be amended if an amendment is declared advisable by our board of
directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the
votes entitled to be cast on the matter. With certain exceptions, our board of directors has the
exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws or to make new bylaws.
Dissolution of our Company
The dissolution of our company must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of each
of our entire board of directors and our stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the
votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business
Our bylaws provide that nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors and
proposals of other business to be considered at any annual meeting of our stockholders must be made
(i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of our board of directors or
(iii) by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of notice required by our
bylaws and at the time of the meeting, is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of the
individuals so nominated or on such other proposed business and has complied with the advance
notice requirements of, and provided the information and certifications required by, our bylaws.
Only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before a special
meeting of our stockholders. Nominations of individuals for election as directors at a special
meeting of stockholders must be made (i) by or at the direction of our board of directors or (ii)
if the special meeting has been called in accordance with our bylaws for the purpose of electing
directors, by any stockholder who is a stockholder of record both at the time of notice required by
our bylaws and the time of the special meeting, is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election
of each individual so nominated and has complied with the advance notice requirements of, and
provided the information and certifications required by, our bylaws.
Special Meetings of Stockholders
Our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, board of directors or any three members of
the board of directors may call special meetings of our stockholders. A special meeting of our
stockholders to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of our stockholders
must also be called by our Secretary upon the written request of the stockholders entitled to cast
not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at the meeting and
containing the information and certifications required by our bylaws. Our Secretary will inform the
requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing the notice of
meeting (including our proxy materials), and the requesting stockholder must pay such estimated
cost before our Secretary is required to prepare and mail the notice of the special meeting.
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Subtitle 8
Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity
securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent directors to elect to
be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and
notwithstanding any contrary provision in such charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions
of the MGCL, which provide for:
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a classified board; |
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a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director; |
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a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the
directors; |
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a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining
directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which
the vacancy occurred; or |
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a majority vote requirement for the calling of a special meeting of stockholders. |
Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (1) vest in
our board of directors the exclusive power, subject to the limitations described above, to fix the
number of directors, by vote of a majority of the entire board of directors, and (2) require,
unless called by our Chairman of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer, our
President, our board of directors or any three members of our board of directors, the request of
stockholders entitled to cast a majority of votes entitled to be cast on a matter at the meeting to
call a special meeting to act on the matter. We have not elected to create a classified board. In
the future, our board of directors may elect, without stockholder approval, to create a classified
board or elect to be subject to any of the other provisions of Subtitle 8. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, for so long as the Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates have the right to
designate at least one member to the board of directors in accordance with the bylaws and
partnership agreement, a resolution adopted by our board of directors prohibits us from electing to
be subject to the provisions of Subtitle 8 relating to a (i) two-thirds vote requirement for the
removing of a director, (ii) requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by a vote of
the directors and (iii) requirement that a vacancy on the board of directors be filled only by the
remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the
vacancy occurred.
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EXCHANGE OF PARTNERSHIP UNITS FOR COMMON STOCK
Terms of the Exchange
The holders of partnership units of our operating partnership who hold units which may be
redeemed on or after September 28, 2011 for shares of our common stock issued under this prospectus
are referred to as the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders hold an aggregate of
26,165,000 partnership units. On or after September 28, 2011, the selling stockholders may require
our operating partnership to redeem their partnership units for cash by delivering to us, as
general partner of our operating partnership, a notice of redemption. Upon receipt of the notice of
redemption, we may, in our sole and absolute discretion, subject to the limitations on ownership
and transfer of our common stock set forth in our charter, elect to exchange some or all of those
partnership units for shares of our common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as
described in the section entitled Description of the Partnership Agreement of CoreSite,
L.P.Redemption/Exchange Rights.
Once we receive a notice of redemption from a limited partner, we will determine whether to
redeem the tendering partners partnership units for cash or exchange some or all of the tendering
partners partnership units for shares of our common stock. We will promptly notify the tendering
partner if we decide to exchange the tendering partners partnership units for shares of our common
stock. Any shares of our common stock that we issue will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable shares, free of any pledge, lien, encumbrance or restriction other than
those provided in:
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our charter; |
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our bylaws; |
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the Securities Act; |
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relevant state securities or blue sky laws; and |
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any applicable registration rights agreement with respect to the shares entered into by
the tendering partner. |
Each tendering partner will continue to own all partnership units subject to any redemption or
exchange, and be treated as a limited partner with respect to the partnership units for all
purposes, until the limited partner transfers the partnership units to us, is paid for them or
receives shares of our common stock in exchange for them. Until that time, the limited partner will
have no rights as one of our stockholders with respect to the shares issued under this prospectus.
Conditions to the Exchange
We will issue shares of our common stock in exchange for partnership units to a tendering
partner only if each of the following conditions is satisfied or waived:
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the exchange would not cause the tendering partner or any other person to violate the
ownership limit or other restriction on ownership and transfer of our stock set forth in
our charter; |
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the exchange is for at least 1,000 partnership units, or, if less than 1,000 partnership
units, all of the partnership units held by the tendering partner; |
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the redemption is not effected during the period after the record date that we
established for a distribution from our operating partnership to its partners and before
the record date that we established for a distribution to our common stockholders; and |
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the consummation of any redemption or exchange will be subject to the expiration or
termination of any applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended. |
Comparison of the Rights, Privileges and Preferences of Ownership of Partnership Units and Common
Stock
Generally, the nature of an investment in our common stock is similar in several respects to
an investment in partnership units of our operating partnership. Holders of our common stock and
holders of partnership units generally receive the same distributions.
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Common stockholders and holders of partnership units generally share in the risks and rewards
of ownership in our business conducted through our operating partnership. However, there are
differences between ownership of partnership units and ownership of our common stock, some of which
may be material to investors.
The information below highlights a number of the significant differences between our operating
partnership and us relating to, among other things, form of organization, management control,
voting and consent rights, liquidity and federal income tax considerations. These comparisons are
intended to assist limited partners in understanding how their investment changes if they exchange
their partnership units for shares of our common stock. This discussion is summary in nature and
does not constitute a complete discussion of these matters, and holders of partnership units should
carefully review the rest of this prospectus and the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part, and the documents we incorporate by reference as exhibits to the registration
statement of which this prospectus is a part, particularly our charter, our bylaws and the
partnership agreement, for additional important information about us.
CORESITE, L.P.
Form of Organization and Assets Owned
Our operating partnership is
organized as a Delaware limited
partnership. Substantially all of
our assets are held by, and our
operations run through, our
operating partnership. Our
operating partnerships purpose is
to conduct any business that may be
lawfully conducted by a limited
partnership organized pursuant to
the Delaware Revised Uniform
Limited Partnership Act, provided
that it must conduct its business
in a manner that allows us to
maintain our qualification as a
REIT, unless we cease to qualify as
a REIT for reasons other than the
conduct of the business of our
operating partnership.
Additional Equity
As sole general partner, we have
the ability to cause our operating
partnership to issue additional
units representing general and
limited partnership interests.
These additional units may include
preferred limited partnership units
with terms, provisions and rights
that are preferential to those of
the partnership units. In addition,
we may issue additional shares of
our common stock, preferred stock
or convertible securities, but only
if we cause our operating
partnership to issue to us
partnership interests or rights,
options, warrants or convertible or
exchangeable securities of our
operating partnership having
parallel designations, preferences
and other rights, so that the
economic interests of our operating
partnerships interests issued are
substantially similar to the
securities that we have issued.
Management Control
CORESITE REALTY CORPORATION
We are a Maryland corporation. We
elected to be taxed as a REIT under
the Code, commencing with our
taxable year ended December 31,
2010. We intend to maintain our
qualification as a REIT. Our only
substantial asset is our interest in
our operating partnership, which
gives us an indirect investment in
its properties. Under our charter,
we may engage in any lawful act or
activity permitted by the MGCL.
Our board of directors may cause us
to issue, in its discretion,
additional shares of common stock or
additional shares of preferred stock
provided that such additional shares
do not exceed the authorized number
of shares of stock stated in our
charter. Our board of directors has
the power to amend our charter to
increase or decrease the number of
authorized shares of our common
stock and preferred stock without
stockholder approval. As long as our
operating partnership is in
existence, we are generally required
to contribute to our operating
partnership, in exchange for units
in our operating partnership, the
net proceeds of all equity capital
raised by us.
We are the sole
general partner of
our operating
partnership and
conduct
substantially all
of our business in
or through it. As
the sole general
partner of the
operating
partnership, we
exercise exclusive
and complete
discretion in its
day-to-day
management and
control, subject
to the consent of
the limited
partners in
certain limited
circumstances and
except as
expressly limited
in the partnership
agreement. We can
cause the
operating
partnership to
enter into certain
major
transactions,
including
acquisitions,
dispositions and
refinancings and
cause changes in
Under our charter and bylaws:
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our business and affairs are managed under the direction
of our board of directors; |
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at each annual meeting of stockholders, our stockholders
elect directors for one-year terms, serving until the next annual
meeting and until their successors are duly elected and
qualified; |
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if our board of directors determines that it is no |
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its line of
business, capital
structure and
distribution
policies. The
limited partners of
our operating
partnership may not
transact business
for, or participate
in the management
activities or
decisions of, our
operating
partnership, except
as provided in the
partnership
agreement and as
required by
applicable law. The
limited partners of
our operating
partnership
expressly
acknowledged that
we, as general
partner of our
operating
partnership, are
acting for the
benefit of our
operating
partnership, the
limited partners
and our
stockholders
collectively. Our
company is under no
obligation to give
priority to the
separate interests
of the limited
partners or our
stockholders in
deciding whether to
cause our operating
partnership to take
or decline to take
any actions. If
there is a conflict
between the
interests of our
stockholders on one
hand and the
limited partners on
the other, we will
endeavor in good
faith to resolve
the conflict in a
manner not adverse
to either our
stockholders or the
limited partners;
provided, however,
that for so long as
we own a
controlling
interest in our
operating
partnership, any
conflict that
cannot be resolved
in a manner not
adverse to either
our stockholders or
the limited
partners shall be
resolved in favor
of our
stockholders.
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longer in our best interests to continue to be qualified as a
REIT, the board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate
our REIT election pursuant to Section 856(g) of the Code; |
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our board of directors has the exclusive power to adopt,
alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws and to make new
bylaws, other than certain amendments related to control share
acquisitions, which also require stockholder approval. |
Duties of Directors
Under Delaware law, we are subject
to the restrictions and liabilities
of a partner in a partnership. To
the extent permitted by applicable
law, the partnership agreement
indemnifies us, as general partner,
and our officers and directors and
any other persons we may designate.
Similarly, the partnership
agreement limits our liability, as
well as that of our officers and
directors, to the operating
partnership.
Under Maryland law, our directors
must perform his or her duties in
good faith, in a manner that he or
she reasonably believes to be in our
best interests and with the care
that an ordinarily prudent person in
a like position would use under
similar circumstances. A director
who acts in this manner generally
will not be liable to us for
monetary damages arising from his or
her activities.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
As sole general
partner of our
operating
partnership, we
exercise exclusive
and complete
responsibility and
discretion in its
day-to-day
management and
control. A general
partner may not be
removed by a
limited partner
with or without
cause, except with
the consent of the
general partner.
The partnership
agreement provides
that our company
may not engage in
any termination
transaction unless
the termination
transaction has
been approved by
partners holding
more than 50% of
all outstanding
partnership
interests, or in
connection with
which all limited
partners will
either receive, or
will have the right
to elect to
receive, for each
operating
partnership unit an
amount of cash,
securities or other
property equal to
the product of:
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the number
of shares
of common
stock into
which each
operating
partnership
unit is
then
exchangeable; and |
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the
greatest
amount of
cash,
securities
or other
property
paid to
the holder
of one
share of
common
stock in
consideration for one
share of
common
stock
pursuant
to the
termination transaction. |
Provisions of our charter and bylaws could delay, defer or
prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that
might involve a premium price for our common stockholders or
otherwise be in their best interest. These provisions include:
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authorized stock that our board of directors may cause
us to issue in its discretion as preferred stock with voting and
other rights superior to our common stock; |
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a requirement that directors may generally be removed,
with or without cause, only by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the
election of directors; |
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limitations on the ownership and transfer of our stock;
and |
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a requirement that nominations of persons for election
to our board of directors and proposals of other business to be
considered by our stockholders at our annual meeting may be made
only: |
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pursuant to our notice of the meeting; |
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by or at the direction of our board of directors; or |
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by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the
time of giving of notice and at the time of the annual meeting,
who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the
applicable notice procedures. |
A requirement that nominations of individuals for election to
our board of directors to be considered by our stockholders at a
special meeting of stockholders may be made only:
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by or at the direction of our board of directors; or |
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if the special meeting has been called in accordance
with our bylaws for the purpose of electing directors, by any
stockholder who is a stockholder of record both at the time of
notice required by our Bylaws and the time of the special
meeting, is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of
each individual so nominated and has complied with the advance
notice requirements of, and provided the information and
certifications required by, our bylaws. |
Likewise, if our companys board of directors were to rescind
the resolution exempting business combinations from the business
combination provisions of the MGCL (or does not otherwise
approve a business combination) or if the provision in the
bylaws opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of
the MGCL were rescinded, these provisions of the MGCL could have
similar anti-takeover effects.
Voting and Consent Rights
Under the partnership agreement,
all management powers over the
business and affairs of our
operating partnership are
exclusively vested in the general
partner, and no limited partner
shall have any right to participate
in or exercise control or
management power over the business
and affairs of our operating
partnership, including voting or
consent rights. However, certain
amendments to the partnership
agreement, as well as certain
termination transactions, require
consent from the limited partners,
as set forth below.
Our business and affairs are managed
under the direction of our board of
directors. Maryland law requires
that certain major corporate
transactions, including most mergers
and amendments to our charter, may
not be consummated without the
approval of stockholders as set
forth below. Each outstanding share
of our common stock generally
entitles the holder to one vote on
all matters submitted to a vote of
stockholders, including the election
of directors, and, except as
provided with respect to any other
class or series of our stock, the
holders of shares of our common
stock possess the exclusive voting
power. There is no cumulative voting
in the election of our directors.
Directors are elected by a plurality
of the votes cast. Our charter
permits our board of directors to
classify and cause us to issue
preferred stock in one or more
classes or series, having voting
power which may differ from that of
our common stock.
The following is a comparison of the voting rights of the limited partners of our operating
partnership and our common stockholders as they relate to some major events or transactions:
Amendment of the Partnership Agreement or Our Charter and Bylaws
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Generally, the partnership agreement may be amended, modified
or terminated only with the approval of partners holding 50%
of all outstanding operating partnership units (including the
operating partnership units held by us as general partner and
as a limited partner). However, as general partner, we have
the power to unilaterally amend the partnership agreement
without obtaining the consent of the limited partners as may
be required to:
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add to our obligations as general partner or
surrender any right or power granted to us as general
partner for the benefit of the limited partners; |
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reflect the issuance of additional operating
partnership units or the admission, substitution,
termination, reduction in operating partnership units or
withdrawal of partners in accordance with the terms of
the partnership agreement; |
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set forth or amend the designations, rights,
powers, duties and preferences of the holders of any
additional partnership interests issued by the operating
partnership; |
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reflect a change of an inconsequential nature
that does not adversely affect the limited partners in
any material respect; |
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cure any ambiguity in, correct or supplement any
provisions in, or make other changes with respect to
matters arising under the partnership agreement that
will not otherwise be inconsistent with the partnership
agreement or law; |
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satisfy any requirements, conditions or
guidelines of federal or state law; |
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reflect changes that are reasonably necessary
for us, as general partner, to maintain our status as a
REIT; |
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modify the manner in which capital accounts are
computed; and |
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amend or modify any provision of the partnership agreement in connection with a termination transaction.
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We must approve, and each limited partner that would be
adversely affected must approve, certain amendments to the
partnership agreement, including amendments effected directly
or indirectly through a merger or sale of assets of the
operating partnership or otherwise, that would, among other
things,
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convert a limited partners interest into a
general partners interest, |
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modify the limited liability of a limited
partner, |
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alter a partners right to receive any
distributions or allocations of profits or losses, or |
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materially alter the limited partners
redemption or exchange right. |
Our charter may
generally be
amended only if
declared advisable
by our board of
directors and
approved by the
affirmative vote of
the stockholders
holding at least a
majority of all the
votes entitled to
be cast on the
matter under
consideration.
However, subject to
the rights of
holders of our
preferred stock,
any director or the
entire board of
directors may be
removed, with or
without cause, from
office at any time
only by the
affirmative vote of
a majority of all
the votes entitled
to be cast
generally in the
election of
directors. Our
bylaws provide that
only our board of
directors may amend
or repeal our
bylaws or adopt new
laws. Certain
amendments to our
bylaws relating to
control share
acquisitions must
also be approved by
the affirmative
vote of a majority
of the votes cast
by holders of
common stock at a
meeting.
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Dissolution of CoreSite, L.P. or CoreSite Realty Corporation
Our operating partnership will
dissolve, and its affairs will
be wound up, upon the first to
occur of the following:
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an event of
withdrawal, as defined in
the partnership agreement; |
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an election to
dissolve our operating
partnership made by the
general partner, with the
consent of limited partners
(excluding us) holding a
majority of all outstanding
partnership units; |
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an entry of a
decree of judicial
dissolution of our
operating partnership
pursuant to applicable
Delaware law; |
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the absence of any
limited partners of the
partnership, unless the
partnership is continued
without dissolution in
accordance with its
provisions. |
Under applicable Maryland law and
our charter, our dissolution:
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must be declared advisable
by a majority of our board of
directors; and |
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must be approved by
stockholders entitled to cast a
majority of the votes entitled to be
cast on the matter. |
Vote Required to Merge, Consolidate or Sell Assets
The partnership agreement provides
that our company may not engage in
any termination transaction unless
certain conditions are met (see
Anti-Takeover Provisions
above).
Tax Protection
Under the contribution agreement
and tax protection agreements by
which certain of the limited
partners contributed their direct
and indirect interests in certain
properties to us in exchange for
partnership units, we agreed to
loan without interest, which loan
must be repaid, to these
contributors an amount to cover
an adverse tax consequences to
them in the event that we
directly or indirectly sell,
exchange or otherwise dispose of
any interest in any of the
contributed properties in a
taxable transaction until the
seventh anniversary of the
completion of our initial public
offering. If any indemnified
party exchanges partnership units
for our common stock pursuant to
this prospectus and no longer
retains ownership of 10% or more
of the partnership units received
by them in connection with our
initial public offering, such
party will no longer be the
beneficiary of our
indemnification against adverse
tax consequences.
Generally, under Maryland law and
our charter, the sale of all or
substantially all of our assets or
our merger, consolidation or
statutory share exchange generally:
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must be declared advisable
by our board of directors; and |
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must be approved by
stockholders entitled to cast a
majority of the votes entitled to be
cast on the matter. |
Our common stockholders are not
granted any tax indemnity.
Compensation, Fees and Distributions
We do not receive
any compensation
for our services
as general partner
of our operating
partnership. As a
partner, however,
we have a right to
allocations and
distributions
similar to other
partners. In
addition, our
operating
partnership will
reimburse us for
all expenses
incurred relating
to our ongoing
operations and any
issuance of
additional
partnership
interests.
Our officers receive compensation for their services.
Directors who are employees of our company or our
subsidiaries and those directors nominated by the
Carlyle real estate funds or their affiliates do not
receive compensation for their services as directors.
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Each of our other directors receive an annual cash
retainer of $40,000 for services as a director and
receive an annual grant of restricted stock units
under our 2010 Equity Incentive Plan, having a fair
market value as of the date of grant equal to
$40,000. Payment with respect to these restricted
stock units is automatically deferred until the
directors cessation of service as a director.
Directors who serve on our audit, nominating and
corporate governance and/or compensation committees
other than as chair of the committee receive an
additional annual cash retainer fee of $5,000 for
each committee on which they serve. Directors who
serve as the chair of our audit committee receive an
additional annual retainer of $15,000. Directors who
serve as the chair of one of our other board
committees receive an additional annual retainer of
$10,000. In addition, each of our non-employee
directors, upon the closing of our initial public
offering, received a one-time grant of 2,500 stock
options, with a per share exercise price equal to the
per share offering price.
Liability of Investors
Under applicable Delaware law, a
limited partner is generally not
liable for the obligations of our
operating partnership, unless the
limited partner is also a general
partner or, in addition to the
exercise of the limited partners
rights and powers as a limited
partner, the limited partner takes
part in the control of the
business. The liability of the
limited partners for debts and
obligations is generally limited to
the amount of their current
investment in our operating
partnership, measured as an amount
equal to their respective capital
account balance. Under the
partnership agreement, limited
partners have no liability except
as expressly provided for therein
or under Delaware law.
Under Maryland law, our stockholders
generally are not personally liable
for our debts or obligations.
Liquidity
Generally, we may not voluntarily
withdraw from or transfer or assign
our interest in the operating
partnership, other than to our
affiliates (as defined under
federal securities laws), without
the consent of limited partners
holding more than 50% of the
partnership interests of all
limited partners (other than those
held by us or our subsidiaries).
The limited partners who hold
partnership units that may be
redeemed on or after September 28,
2011 for shares of our common stock
have agreed not to transfer, assign,
sell, encumber or otherwise dispose
of their interest in the operating
partnership without our consent
before September 28, 2011, other
than to us, as general partner, or
to family members, affiliates (as
defined under federal securities
laws), original limited partners and
charitable organizations and as
collateral in connection with
certain lending transactions,
subject to specified limitations.
Beginning September 28, 2011, any
transfer of operating partnership
units by the limited partners,
except to the parties specified
above, will be subject to a right of
first refusal by us
A stockholder is entitled to freely
transfer the shares of our common
stock received in exchange for
partnership units, subject to
prospectus delivery and other
requirements for registered
securities and subject to the
restrictions on ownership and
transfer of shares of our stock
contained in our charter. See
Restrictions on Ownership and
Transfer. Our common stock is
listed on the NYSE. The success of
the secondary market for shares of
our common stock depends, among
other things, upon the number of
shares outstanding, our financial
results and prospects, the general
interest in us and other real estate
investments and our dividend yield
compared to that of other debt and
equity securities.
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and must be made
only to accredited investors as
defined under Rule 501 of the
Securities Act. In each case, the
transferee must agree to assume the
transferors obligations under the
partnership agreements.
Taxes
We are the tax matters partner of
our operating partnership and, as
such, we have authority to make tax
elections under the Code on behalf
of our operating partnership.
Our operating partnership itself is
not required to pay federal income
taxes. Instead, each holder of
units includes its allocable share
of partnership taxable income or
loss in determining its individual
federal income tax liability.
Income and loss generally is
subject to passive activity
limitations. Under the passive
activity rules, partners can
generally offset income and loss
that is considered passive
against income and loss from other
investments that constitute
passive activities.
Partnership cash distributions are
generally not taxable to a holder
of units except to the extent they
exceed the holders basis in its
partnership interest, which will
include such holders allocable
share of the debt of the
partnership.
Holders of units are required, in
some cases, to file state income
tax returns and/or pay state income
taxes in the states in which our
operating partnership owns
property, even if they are not
residents of those states.
As long as we qualify as a REIT,
distributions out of our current or
accumulated earnings and profits,
other than capital gain dividends
discussed below, generally will
constitute dividends taxable to our
taxable U.S. stockholders as
ordinary income and will not be
eligible for the dividends-received
deduction in the case of U.S.
stockholders that are corporations.
In addition, these distributions
generally will not be eligible for
treatment as qualified dividend
income for individual U.S.
stockholders. Distributions that we
properly designate as capital gain
dividends will be taxable to our
taxable U.S. stockholders as gain
from the sale or disposition of a
capital asset, to the extent that
such gain does not exceed our actual
net capital gain for the taxable
year. Distributions in excess of
current and accumulated earnings and
profits will be treated as a
nontaxable return of capital to the
extent of a stockholders adjusted
basis in his, her or its common
stock, with the excess taxed as
capital gain.
Distributions we make and gain
arising from the sale or exchange by
a U.S. stockholder of our shares
will not be treated as passive
activity income. As a result, U.S.
stockholders generally will not be
able to apply any passive losses
against this income or gain.
Stockholders who are individuals
generally will not be required to
file state income tax returns and/or
pay state income taxes outside of
their state of residence with
respect to our operations and
distributions.
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FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations
regarding our company, the exercise of redemption rights with respect to the partnership units, and
the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our common stock. For purposes of this discussion,
references to we, our and us mean only CoreSite Realty Corporation and do not include any of
its subsidiaries, except as otherwise indicated. This summary is for general information only and
is not tax advice. The information in this summary is based on:
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the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code; |
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current, temporary and proposed Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code; |
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the legislative history of the Code; |
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administrative interpretations and practices of the IRS; and |
in each case, as of the date of this prospectus. In addition, the administrative interpretations
and practices of the IRS include its practices and policies as expressed in private letter rulings
that are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the particular taxpayers who requested and
received those rulings. Future legislation, Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations
and practices and/or court decisions may adversely affect the tax considerations contained in this
discussion. Any such change could apply retroactively to transactions preceding the date of the
change. Although we have requested a private letter ruling from the IRS on certain matters, we have
not requested and do not intend to request a ruling from the IRS that we qualify as a REIT, and the
statements in this prospectus are not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, we can provide no
assurance that the tax considerations contained in this discussion will not be challenged by the
IRS or will be sustained by a court if challenged by the IRS. This summary does not discuss any
state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences associated with the acquisition, ownership, or
disposition of our common stock, the exercise of redemption rights with respect to the partnership
units, or our election to be taxed as a REIT.
You are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the tax consequences to you of:
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the exercise of redemption rights with respect to the partnership units; |
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the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our common stock, including the
federal, state, local, non-U.S. and other tax consequences; |
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our election to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; and |
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potential changes in applicable tax laws. |
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Tax Consequences of the Exercise of Redemption Rights
If you are a holder of the partnership units and you exercise your right to require our
operating partnership to redeem all or part of such partnership units, and we elect to acquire some
or all of your partnership units in exchange for our common stock, the exchange will be a taxable
transaction. You generally will recognize gain in an amount equal to the value of the common stock
received, plus the amount of liabilities of our operating partnership allocable to your partnership
units being acquired, less your tax basis in those partnership units. The recognition of any loss
is subject to a number of limitations set forth in the Code. The character of any gain or loss as
capital or ordinary will depend on the nature of the assets of our operating partnership at the
time of the exchange. The tax treatment of any redemption of your partnership units by our
operating partnership for cash may be similar, depending on your circumstances.
Taxation of Our Company
General
We elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code commencing with
our short taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We believe that we have been organized and have
operated in a manner that has allowed us to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code
commencing with our short taxable year ended December 31, 2010, and we intend to continue to be
organized and operate in this manner. However, qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our
ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, including through actual
annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership.
Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we have been organized and have operated, or will
continue to be organized and operate, in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT.
See Failure to Qualify. We have received a private letter ruling from the IRS substantially to
the effect that our buildings (including the structural components) will be treated as real
property for purposes of the gross income tests and the asset tests and that certain services that
we will provide directly to our customers will not cause any amounts received from our customers to
fail to be treated as qualifying rents from real property for purposes of the gross income tests.
We have not received, and do not expect to seek, a private letter ruling from the IRS on any other
issue.
The sections of the Code and the corresponding Treasury Regulations that relate to
qualification and taxation as a REIT are highly technical and complex. The following discussion
sets forth certain material aspects of the sections of the Code that govern the federal income tax
treatment of a REIT and its stockholders. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the
applicable Code provisions, Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code, and administrative and
judicial interpretations thereof.
Our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various
qualification tests imposed under the Code, which are discussed below, including through actual
annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership.
Accordingly, no assurance can be given that our actual results of operation for any particular
taxable year will satisfy those requirements. Further, the anticipated federal income tax treatment
described in this discussion may be changed, perhaps retroactively, by legislative, administrative
or judicial action at any time.
Provided we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be required to pay federal
corporate income taxes on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our
stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the double taxation that ordinarily results
from investment in a C corporation. A C corporation is a corporation that generally is required to
pay tax at the corporate level. Double taxation means taxation once at the corporate level when
income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when the income is distributed. We will,
however, be required to pay federal income tax as follows:
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First, we will be required to pay tax at regular corporate rates on any
undistributed REIT taxable income, including undistributed net capital gains. |
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Second, we may be required to pay the alternative minimum tax on our items of
tax preference under some circumstances. |
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Third, if we have (1) net income from the sale or other disposition of
foreclosure property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course
of business or (2) other nonqualifying income from foreclosure property, we will be
required to pay tax at the highest corporate rate on this income. To the extent that
income from foreclosure property is otherwise qualifying income for purposes of the
75% gross income test, this tax is not applicable. Subject
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to certain other requirements, foreclosure property generally is defined as property
we acquired through foreclosure or after a default on a loan secured by the property
or a lease of the property. |
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Fourth, we will be required to pay a 100% tax on any net income from prohibited
transactions. Prohibited transactions are, in general, sales or other taxable
dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, held as inventory or
primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. We intend to
conduct our operations so that no asset owned by us or any of our pass-through
subsidiaries will be treated as inventory or property held for sale to customers,
and that a sale or other disposition of any such asset will not be made in our
ordinary course of our business. Whether property is held primarily for sale to
customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends, however, on the
particular facts and circumstances. We cannot assure you that any property in which
we hold a direct or indirect interest will not be treated as inventory or property
held for sale to customers, or that we will comply with certain safe-harbor
provisions of the Code that would prevent such treatment. |
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Fifth, if we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income
test, as described below, but have otherwise maintained our qualification as a REIT
because certain other requirements are met, we will be required to pay a tax equal
to (1) the greater of (A) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 75% gross
income test and (B) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 95% gross income
test, multiplied by (2) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability. |
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Sixth, if we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests (other than a de minimis
failure of the 5% or 10% asset test), as described below, due to reasonable cause
and not due to willful neglect, and we nonetheless maintain our REIT qualification
because of specified cure provisions, we will be required to pay a tax equal to the
greater of $50,000 or the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income
generated by the nonqualifying assets that caused us to fail such test. |
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Seventh, if we fail to satisfy any provision of the Code that would result in our
failure to qualify as a REIT (other than a violation of the gross income tests or
certain violations of the asset tests, as described below) and the violation is due
to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, we may retain our REIT
qualification but we will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such
failure. |
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Eighth, we will be required to pay a 4% excise tax to the extent we fail to
distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our ordinary
income for the year, (2) 95% of our capital gain net income for the year, and (3)
any undistributed taxable income from prior periods. |
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Ninth, if we acquire any asset from a corporation that is or has been a C
corporation in a transaction in which our basis in the asset is determined by
reference to the C corporations basis in the asset, and we subsequently recognize
gain on the disposition of the asset during the ten-year period beginning on the
date on which we acquired the asset, then we will be required to pay tax at the
highest regular corporate tax rate on this gain to the extent of the excess of (1)
the fair market value of the asset over (2) our adjusted basis in the asset, in each
case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset. The results described
in this paragraph with respect to the recognition of gain assume that the C
corporation will refrain from making an election to receive different treatment
under applicable Treasury Regulations on its tax return for the year in which we
acquire the asset from the C corporation. |
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Tenth, our subsidiaries that are C corporations, including our taxable REIT
subsidiaries, generally will be required to pay federal corporate income tax on
their earnings. |
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Eleventh, we will be required to pay a 100% tax on any redetermined rents,
redetermined deductions or excess interest. See Penalty Tax. In general,
redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of
services furnished to any of our customers by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours.
Redetermined deductions and excess interest generally represent amounts that are
deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours for amounts paid to us that are in
excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arms length
negotiations. |
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Twelfth, we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net capital gain. In
that case, a stockholder would include its proportionate share of our undistributed
net capital gain (to the extent we make a timely designation of such gain to the
stockholder) in its income, would be deemed to have paid the tax that we paid on
such gain, and would be |
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allowed a credit for its proportionate share of the tax
deemed to have been paid, and an adjustment would be made to increase the basis of
the stockholder in our common stock. |
Requirements for Qualification as a REIT. The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or
association:
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that is managed by one or more trustees or directors; |
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that issues transferable shares or transferable certificates to evidence
its beneficial ownership; |
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that would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for Sections 856
through 860 of the Code; |
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that is not a financial institution or an insurance company within the
meaning of certain provisions of the Code; |
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that is beneficially owned by 100 or more persons; |
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not more than 50% in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned,
actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals, including certain
specified entities, during the last half of each taxable year; and |
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that meets other tests, described below, regarding the nature of its
income and assets and the amount of its distributions. |
The Code provides that conditions (1) to (4), inclusive, must be met during the entire taxable
year and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or
during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. Conditions (5) and (6) do not
apply until after the first taxable year for which an election is made to be taxed as a REIT. For
purposes of condition (6), the term individual includes a supplemental unemployment compensation
benefit plan, a private foundation or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used
exclusively for charitable purposes, but generally does not include a qualified pension plan or
profit sharing trust.
We believe that we have been organized and have operated in a manner that has or, as
applicable, will allow us to satisfy conditions (1) through (7) inclusive, during the relevant time
periods. In addition, our charter provides for restrictions regarding ownership and transfer of our
shares which are intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements
described in (5) and (6) above. A description of the share ownership and transfer restrictions
relating to our outstanding common stock is contained in the discussion in this prospectus under
the heading Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer. These restrictions, however, may not ensure
that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in
conditions (5) and (6) above. To monitor compliance with the stock ownership requirements, we are
generally required to maintain records regarding the actual ownership of our stock. To do so, we
must demand written statements each year from the record holders of significant percentages of our
stock in which the record holders are to disclose the actual owners of the shares, i.e., the
persons required to include in gross income the dividends paid by us. A list of those persons
failing or refusing to comply with this demand must be maintained as part of our records. Failure
to comply with these record keeping requirements could subject us to monetary penalties. A
stockholder that fails or refuses to comply with the demand is required by Treasury Regulations to
submit a statement with its tax return disclosing the actual ownership of the shares and other
information. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, except as provided in the
next sentence, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the rules contained
in applicable Treasury Regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our shares
and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we
failed to meet the requirement described in condition (6) above, we will be treated as having met
this requirement. See Failure to Qualify.
In addition, we may not maintain our status as a REIT unless our taxable year is the calendar
year. We have and will continue to have a calendar taxable year.
Ownership of Interests in Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Qualified REIT
Subsidiaries. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership or a member in a limited
liability company treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, Treasury Regulations
provide that the REIT will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the
partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, based on its interest in partnership capital, subject
to special rules relating to the 10% asset test described below. Also, the REIT will be deemed to
be entitled to its proportionate share of the income of that entity. The assets and gross income of
the partnership or limited liability company retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for
purposes of
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Section 856 of the Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and the asset
tests. Thus, our pro rata share of the assets and items of income of our operating partnership,
including our operating partnerships share of these items of any partnership or limited liability
company treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes in which it
owns an interest, is treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the
requirements described in this discussion, including the gross income and asset tests described
below. A brief summary of the rules governing the federal income taxation of partnerships and
limited liability companies is set forth below in Tax Aspects of Our Operating Partnership, the
Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies.
We generally have control of our operating partnership and the subsidiary partnerships and
limited liability companies and intend to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements
for our qualification as a REIT. If we become a limited partner or non-managing member in any
partnership or limited liability company and such entity takes or expects to take actions that
could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our
interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability
company could take an action which could cause us to fail a gross income or asset test, and that we
would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or
limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could
fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below.
We may from time to time own and operate certain properties through subsidiaries that we
intend to be treated as qualified REIT subsidiaries under the Code. A corporation will qualify as
our qualified REIT subsidiary if we own 100% of the corporations outstanding stock and do not
elect with the subsidiary to treat it as a taxable REIT subsidiary, as described below. A
qualified REIT subsidiary is not treated as a separate corporation, and all assets, liabilities and
items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary are treated as
assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the parent REIT for
all purposes under the Code, including all REIT qualification tests. Thus, in applying the federal
tax requirements described in this discussion, any qualified REIT subsidiaries we own are ignored,
and all assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of such
corporations are treated as our assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and
credit. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not subject to federal income tax, and our ownership of the
stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary will not violate the restrictions on ownership of securities,
as described below under Asset Tests.
Ownership of Interests in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. We currently own an interest in one
taxable REIT subsidiary and may acquire securities in additional taxable REIT subsidiaries in the
future. A taxable REIT subsidiary is a corporation other than a REIT in which a REIT directly or
indirectly holds stock, and that has made a joint election with such REIT to be treated as a
taxable REIT subsidiary. If a taxable REIT subsidiary owns more than 35% of the total voting power
or value of the outstanding securities of another corporation, such other corporation will also be
treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary. Other than some activities relating to lodging and health
care facilities, a taxable REIT subsidiary may generally engage in any business, including the
provision of customary or non-customary services to customers of its parent REIT. A taxable REIT
subsidiary is subject to federal income tax as a regular C corporation. In addition, a taxable REIT
subsidiary may be prevented from deducting interest on debt funded directly or indirectly by its
parent REIT if certain tests regarding the taxable REIT subsidiarys debt to equity ratio and
interest expense are not satisfied. A REITs ownership of securities of a taxable REIT subsidiary
is not subject to the 5% or 10% asset test described below. See Asset Tests.
Income Tests
We must satisfy two gross income requirements annually to maintain our qualification as a
REIT. First, in each taxable year we must derive directly or indirectly at least 75% of our gross
income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions, and
certain foreign currency gains) from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real
property, including rents from real property and, in certain circumstances, interest, or certain
types of temporary investments. Second, in each taxable year we must derive at least 95% of our
gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions,
and certain foreign currency gains) from the real property investments described above or
dividends, interest and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or any
combination of the foregoing. For these purposes, the term interest generally does not include
any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of all or some of the
amount depends in any way on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or
accrued generally will not be excluded from the term interest solely by reason of being based on
a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.
A significant portion of the value of our properties is attributable to structural components
related to the provision of electricity, heating ventilation and air conditioning, humidification
regulation, security and fire protection, and telecommunication infrastructure. We have received a
private letter ruling from the IRS holding, among other things, that our buildings, including the
structural
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components, constitute real property for purposes of the gross income tests and asset
tests. We are entitled to rely upon that private letter ruling only to the extent that we did not
misstate or omit a material fact in the ruling request we submitted to the IRS and that we operate
in the future in accordance with the facts described in that request. Moreover, the IRS, in its
sole discretion, may decide to revoke the private letter ruling. If, despite the private letter
ruling, the IRS were to determine that structural components at our properties constituted personal
property rather than real property, a significant portion of our rent would not constitute rents
from real property and we would fail to satisfy the 75% and 95% gross income tests.
Rents we receive from a customer will qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of
satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if all of the following
conditions are met:
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The amount of rent is not based in any way on the income or profits of any
person. However, an amount we receive or accrue generally will not be excluded from
the term rents from real property solely because it is based on a fixed percentage
or percentages of receipts or sales; |
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Neither we nor an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of our capital
stock actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the interests in the assets or
net profits of a non-corporate customer, or, if the customer is a corporation, 10%
or more of the voting power or value of all classes of stock of the customer. Rents
we receive from such a customer that is a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours, however,
will not be excluded from the definition of rents from real property as a result
of this condition if at least 90% of the space at the property to which the rents
relate is leased to third parties, and the rents paid by the taxable REIT subsidiary
are substantially comparable to rents paid by our other customers for comparable
space. Whether rents paid by a taxable REIT subsidiary are substantially comparable
to rents paid by other customers is determined at the time the lease with the
taxable REIT subsidiary is entered into, extended, and modified, if such
modification increases the rents due under such lease. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, however, if a lease with a controlled taxable REIT subsidiary is
modified and such modification results in an increase in the rents payable by such
taxable REIT subsidiary, any such increase will not qualify as rents from real
property. For purposes of this rule, a controlled taxable REIT subsidiary is a
taxable REIT subsidiary in which the parent REIT owns stock possessing more than 50%
of the voting power or more than 50% of the total value of the outstanding stock of
such taxable REIT subsidiary. To the extent any rent from a lease with a taxable
REIT subsidiary does not satisfy the 90% rental exception described above, our
receipt of such rent would not qualify under the gross income tests; |
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Rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real
property, is not greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. If
this condition is not met, then the portion of the rent attributable to personal
property will not qualify as rents from real property; and |
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We generally do not operate or manage the property or furnish or render services
to our customers, subject to a 1% de minimis exception and except as provided below.
We may, however, perform services that are usually or customarily rendered in
connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not otherwise
considered rendered to the occupant of the property. Examples of these services
include the provision of light, heat, or other utilities, trash removal and general
maintenance of common areas. In addition, we may employ an independent contractor
from whom we derive no revenue to provide customary services, or a taxable REIT
subsidiary (which may be wholly or partially owned by us) to provide both customary
and non-customary services to our customers without causing the rent we receive from
those customers to fail to qualify as rents from real property. Any amounts we
receive from a taxable REIT subsidiary with respect to the taxable REIT subsidiarys
provision of non-customary services will, however, be nonqualifying income under the
75% gross income test and, except to the extent received through the payment of
dividends, the 95% gross income test. |
We generally do not intend, and as a general partner of our operating partnership, do not
intend to permit our operating partnership, to take actions we believe will cause us to fail to
satisfy the rental conditions described above. However, we may intentionally fail to satisfy some
of these conditions to the extent we determine, based on the advice of our tax counsel, that the
failure will not jeopardize our tax status as a REIT. In addition, with respect to the limitation
on the rental of personal property, we have not
obtained appraisals of the real property and personal property leased to customers.
Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of
value.
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The private letter ruling we received from the IRS held that certain services that we will
provide to our customers directly would not prevent the rent received from those properties as
constituting rents from real property. The private letter ruling specifically addressed services
related to utilities; controlled humidity; security; fire protection; common area maintenance;
management, operation and maintenance, and repair of the major building systems and components of
the data system buildings (including structural components); acceptance of customer deliveries;
parking for customers and their visitors; and telecommunication infrastructure to allow customers
to connect to third-party telecommunication providers. The private letter ruling was based, in
part, on our representation that those services are customarily rendered in connection with the
rental of comparable buildings in the geographic market in which our buildings are located. Our
ability to rely upon the private letter ruling is dependent on the accuracy of that representation
and on our not misstating or omitting another material fact in the ruling request we submitted to
the IRS. Moreover, the IRS, in its sole discretion, may decide to revoke the private letter ruling.
If, despite the private letter ruling, the IRS were to determine that services we directly provide
at our properties were not usually and customarily rendered in connection with the rental of real
property, the rent from our property would not constitute rents from real property and we would
likely fail to satisfy the 95% and 75% gross income tests. We intend to provide any services that
are not usually and customarily rendered or that are for the benefit of a particular customer in
connection with the rental of real property through our TRS or through an independent contractor.
Income we receive that is attributable to the rental of parking spaces at the properties generally
will constitute rents from real property for purposes of the gross income tests if certain services
provided with respect to the parking spaces are performed by independent contractors from whom we
derive no revenue, either directly or indirectly, or by a taxable REIT subsidiary, and certain
other conditions are met. We believe that the income we receive that is attributable to parking
spaces meets these tests and, accordingly, will constitute rents from real property for purposes of
the gross income tests.
From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our
assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps,
and floors, options to purchase these items, and futures and forward contracts. Income from a
hedging transaction, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, that is
clearly identified as a hedging transaction as specified in the Code will not constitute gross
income and thus will be exempt from the 75% and 95% gross income tests. The term hedging
transaction, as used above, generally means any transaction we enter into in the normal course of
our business primarily to manage risk of (1) interest rate changes or fluctuations with respect to
borrowings made or to be made by us to acquire or carry real estate assets, or (2) currency
fluctuations with respect to an item of qualifying income under the 75% or 95% gross income test.
To the extent that we do not properly identify such transactions as hedges or we hedge with other
types of financial instruments, the income from those transactions is not likely to be treated as
qualifying income for purposes of the gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging
transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our status as a REIT.
To the extent our taxable REIT subsidiaries pay dividends, we generally will derive our
allocable share of such dividend income through our interest in our operating partnership. Such
dividend income will qualify under the 95%, but not the 75%, gross income test.
We will monitor the amount of the dividend and other income from our taxable REIT subsidiaries
and will take actions intended to keep this income, and any other nonqualifying income, within the
limitations of the gross income tests. Although we expect these actions will be sufficient to
prevent a violation of the gross income tests, we cannot guarantee that such actions will in all
cases prevent such a violation.
If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year,
we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for the year if we are entitled to relief under certain
provisions of the Code. We generally may make use of the relief provisions if:
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following our identification of the failure to meet the 75% or 95% gross income
tests for any taxable year, we file a schedule with the IRS setting forth each item
of our gross income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for such
taxable year in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be issued; and |
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our failure to meet these tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to
willful neglect. |
It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the
benefit of these relief provisions. For example, if we fail to satisfy the gross income tests
because nonqualifying income that we intentionally accrue or receive exceeds the limits on
nonqualifying income, the IRS could conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not due to
reasonable cause. If these relief provisions do not apply to a particular set of circumstances, we will not qualify as a
REIT. As discussed above in Taxation of Our CompanyGeneral, even if these relief provisions
apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, a tax would be imposed with
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respect to our nonqualifying income. We may not always be able to comply with the gross income tests for REIT qualification
despite periodic monitoring of our income.
Prohibited Transaction Income. Any gain that we realize on the sale of property held as
inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business,
including our share of any such gain realized by our operating partnership, either directly or
through its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, will be treated as income from
a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax, unless certain safe harbor
exceptions apply. This prohibited transaction income may also adversely affect our ability to
satisfy the gross income tests for qualification as a REIT. Under existing law, whether property is
held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business
is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular
transaction. Our operating partnership intends to hold its properties for investment with a view to
long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing and owning its
properties and to make occasional sales of the properties as are consistent with our operating
partnerships investment objectives. However, the IRS may successfully contend that some or all of
the sales made by our operating partnership or its subsidiary partnerships or limited liability
companies are prohibited transactions. We would be required to pay the 100% penalty tax on our
allocable share of the gains resulting from any such sales. We cannot assure you that we can comply
with certain safe-harbor provisions of the Code that would prevent the imposition of the 100%
penalty tax.
Penalty Tax. Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions or excess interest we generate
will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property
that are overstated as a result of any services furnished to any of our customers by a taxable REIT
subsidiary of ours, and redetermined deductions and excess interest represent any amounts that are
deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the
amounts that would have been deducted based on arms length negotiations. Rents we receive will not
constitute redetermined rents if they qualify for certain safe harbor provisions contained in the
Code.
From time to time, our taxable REIT subsidiary provides services to our customers. We believe
we have set, and we intend to set in the future, the fees paid to our taxable REIT subsidiaries for
such services at arms-length rates, although such rates may not satisfy any of the safe-harbor
provisions described above. These determinations are inherently factual, and the IRS has broad
discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to clearly
reflect their respective incomes. If the IRS successfully made such an assertion, we would be
required to pay a 100% penalty tax on the excess of an arms-length fee for customer services over
the amount actually paid.
Asset Tests
At the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy certain tests
relating to the nature and diversification of our assets. First, at least 75% of the value of our
total assets must be represented by real estate assets, cash, cash items and government securities.
For purposes of this test, the term real estate assets generally means real property (including
interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property) and shares (or transferable
certificates of beneficial interest) in other REITs, as well as any stock or debt instrument
attributable to the investment of the proceeds of a stock offering or a public offering of debt
with a term of at least five years, but only for the one-year period beginning on the date the REIT
receives such proceeds.
Second, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by securities
(including securities of taxable REIT subsidiaries), other than those securities includable in the
75% asset test.
Third, of the investments included in the 25% asset class, and except for investments in other
REITs, our qualified REIT subsidiaries and taxable REIT subsidiaries, the value of any one issuers
securities may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets, and we may not own more than 10% of
the total vote or value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer except, in the case of the
10% value test, securities satisfying the straight debt safe-harbor or securities issued by a
partnership that itself would satisfy the 75% income test if it were a REIT. Certain types of
securities we may own are disregarded as securities solely for purposes of the 10% value test,
including, but not limited to, any loan to an individual or an estate, any obligation to pay rents
from real property and any security issued by a REIT. In addition, solely for purposes of the 10%
value test, the determination of our interest in the assets of a partnership or limited liability
company in which we own an interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities
issued by the partnership or limited liability company, excluding for this purpose certain
securities described in the Code.
Our operating partnership currently owns 100% of the securities of a corporation that has
elected, together with us, to be treated as our taxable REIT subsidiary. So long as this
corporation qualifies as our taxable REIT subsidiary, we will not be subject to the 5%
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asset test, the 10% voting securities limitation or the 10% value limitation with respect to our ownership of
its securities. We may acquire securities in other taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. We
believe that the aggregate value of our taxable REIT subsidiary and our other securities (other
than those securities includable in the 75% asset test) has not exceeded, and in the future will
not exceed, 25% of the aggregate value of our gross assets. No independent appraisals have been
obtained to support these conclusions. In addition, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not
disagree with our determinations of value.
The asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year in
which we (directly or through our operating partnership) acquire securities in the applicable
issuer, and also at the close of each calendar quarter in which we increase our ownership of
securities of such issuer (including as a result of increasing our interest in our operating
partnership). For example, our indirect ownership of securities of each issuer will increase as a
result of our capital contributions to our operating partnership or as limited partners exercise
their redemption/exchange rights. Accordingly, after initially meeting the asset tests at the close
of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the
end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values. If we fail to satisfy an asset
test because we acquire securities or other property during a quarter (including as a result of an
increase in our interest in our operating partnership), we may cure this failure by disposing of
sufficient nonqualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. As described above
in Taxation of Our CompanyIncome Tests, we have received a ruling from the IRS holding that
our buildings (including certain structural components) will constitute real property for purposes
of the asset tests. No independent appraisals have been obtained, however, to support our
conclusions as to the value of our total assets, or the value of any particular security or
securities. Moreover, we cannot assure you that the IRS will not contend that any of our assets or
our interests in the securities violate the REIT asset requirements. Although we plan to take steps
to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which testing is to occur,
there can be no assurance that such steps will always be successful, or will not require a
reduction in our operating partnerships overall interest in an issuer. If we fail to cure any
noncompliance with the asset tests within the 30 day cure period, we would cease to qualify as a
REIT unless we are eligible for certain relief provisions discussed below.
Certain relief provisions may be available to us if we discover a failure to satisfy the asset
tests described above after the 30-day cure period. Under these provisions, we will be deemed to
have met the 5% and 10% asset tests if the value of our nonqualifying assets (i) does not exceed
the lesser of (a) 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the applicable quarter or (b)
$10,000,000, and (ii) we dispose of the nonqualifying assets or otherwise satisfy such tests within
(a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is
discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued. For
violations of any of the asset tests due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and
that are, in the case of the 5% and 10% asset tests, in excess of the de minimis exception
described above, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT after the 30-day cure period by taking
steps including (i) the disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets, or the taking of other
actions, which allow us to meet the asset tests within (a) six months after the last day of the
quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time
prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued, (ii) paying a tax equal to the greater of (a)
$50,000 or (b) the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the
nonqualifying assets, and (iii) disclosing certain information to the IRS.
Although we believe we have satisfied the asset tests described above and plan to take steps
to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which retesting is to occur,
there can be no assurance that we will always be successful, or will not require a reduction in our
operating partnerships overall interest in an issuer (including in a taxable REIT subsidiary). If
we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests in a timely manner, and the relief
provisions described above are not available, we would cease to qualify as a REIT.
Annual Distribution Requirements
To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than
capital gain dividends, to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to the sum of:
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90% of our REIT taxable income; and |
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90% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property; minus |
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the excess of the sum of certain items of non-cash income over 5% of our REIT
taxable income. |
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For these purposes, our REIT taxable income is computed without regard to the dividends paid
deduction and our net capital gain. In addition, for purposes of this test, non-cash income means
income attributable to leveled stepped rents, original issue discount on purchase money debt,
cancellation of indebtedness, or a like-kind exchange that is later determined to be taxable.
In addition, if we dispose of any asset we acquired from a corporation which is or has been a
C corporation in a transaction in which our basis in the asset is determined by reference to the
basis of the asset in the hands of that C corporation, within the ten-year period following our
acquisition of such asset, we would be required to distribute at least 90% of the after-tax gain,
if any, we recognized on the disposition of the asset, to the extent that gain does not exceed the
excess of (a) the fair market value of the asset over (b) our adjusted basis in the asset, in each
case, on the date we acquired the asset.
We generally must pay, or be treated as paying, the distributions described above in the
taxable year to which they relate. At our election, a distribution will be treated as paid in a
taxable year if it is declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and paid on or
before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration, provided such payment is made
during the 12-month period following the close of such year. These distributions are treated as
received by our stockholders in the year in which paid. This is so even though these distributions
relate to the prior year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement. In order to be taken
into account for purposes of our distribution requirement, the amount distributed must not be
preferentiali.e., every stockholder of the class of stock to which a distribution is made must be
treated the same as every other stockholder of that class, and no class of stock may be treated
other than according to its dividend rights as a class. To the extent that we do not distribute all
of our net capital gain, or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our REIT taxable
income, as adjusted, we will be required to pay tax on the undistributed amount at regular
corporate tax rates. We believe that we have made, and we intend to continue to make, timely
distributions sufficient to satisfy these annual distribution requirements and to minimize our
corporate tax obligations. In this regard, the partnership agreement of our operating partnership
authorizes us, as general partner of our operating partnership, to take such steps as may be
necessary to cause our operating partnership to distribute to its partners an amount sufficient to
permit us to meet these distribution requirements and to minimize our federal income or excise tax
liability.
We expect that our REIT taxable income will be less than our cash flow because of depreciation
and other non-cash charges included in computing REIT taxable income. Accordingly, we anticipate
that we generally will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the
distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient
cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences
between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion
of income and deduction of expenses in determining our taxable income. In addition, we may decide
to retain our cash, rather than distribute it, in order to repay debt or for other reasons. If
these timing differences occur, we may borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends in the form
of taxable stock dividends in order to meet the distribution requirements, while preserving our
cash.
Pursuant to recent guidance issued by the IRS, certain part-stock and part-cash dividends
distributed by publicly traded REITs with respect to calendar years 2008 through 2011, and in some
cases declared as late as December 31, 2012, will be treated as distributions for purposes of the
REIT distribution requirements. Under the terms of this guidance, up to 90% of distributions by a
REIT could be paid in shares of its stock. If we make such a distribution, taxable stockholders
would be required to include the full amount of the dividend (i.e., the cash and the stock portion)
as ordinary income (subject to limited exceptions), to the extent of our current and accumulated
earnings and profits for federal income tax purposes, as described under the headings Federal
Income Tax Considerations for Holders of Our Common StockTaxation of Taxable U.S.
StockholdersDistributions Generally and Federal Income Tax Considerations for Holders of Our
Common StockTaxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersDistributions Generally. As a result, our
stockholders could recognize taxable income in excess of the cash received and may be required to
pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash received. If a taxable stockholder
sells the stock it receives as a dividend, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included
in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of the stock at the time of
the sale. Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S.
tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that
is payable in stock.
Under some circumstances, we may be able to rectify an inadvertent failure to meet the 90%
distribution requirement for a year by paying deficiency dividends to our stockholders in a later
year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may
be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, subject to the 4%
excise tax described below. However, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the
amount of any deduction claimed for deficiency dividends.
Furthermore, we will be required to pay a 4% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute
during each calendar year at least the sum of 85% of our ordinary income for such year, 95% of our
capital gain net income for the year and any undistributed taxable
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income from prior periods. Any ordinary income and net capital gain on which this excise tax
is imposed for any year is treated as an amount distributed during that year for purposes of
calculating such tax.
For purposes of the 90% distribution requirement and excise tax described above, dividends
declared during the last three months of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a
specified date during such period and paid during January of the following year, will be treated as
paid by us and received by our stockholders on December 31 of the year in which they are declared.
Like-Kind Exchanges
We may dispose of properties in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under
the Code. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for federal
income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could
require us to pay federal income tax, possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax,
depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction.
Failure to Qualify
If we discover a violation of a provision of the Code that would result in our failure to
qualify as a REIT, certain specified cure provisions may be available to us. Except with respect to
violations of the gross income tests and asset tests (for which the cure provisions are described
above), and provided the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, these
cure provisions generally impose a $50,000 penalty for each violation in lieu of a loss of REIT
status. If we fail to satisfy the requirements for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the
relief provisions do not apply, we will be required to pay tax, including any applicable
alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to
stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us, and we
will not be required to distribute any amounts to our stockholders. As a result, we anticipate that
our failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce the cash available for distribution by us to our
stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, all distributions to stockholders will
be taxable as regular corporate dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and
profits. In such event, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received
deduction. In addition, non-corporate stockholders, including individuals, may be eligible for the
preferential tax rates on qualified dividend income. See Federal Income Tax Considerations for
Holders of Our Common StockTaxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersTax Rates for a discussion of
the scheduled sunset of the preferential tax rates on qualified dividend income. Unless entitled
to relief under specific statutory provisions, we would also be ineligible to elect to be treated
as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year for which we lose our qualification. It is
not possible to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to this statutory relief.
Tax Aspects of Our Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability
Companies
General. All of our investments are held indirectly through our operating partnership. In
addition, our operating partnership holds certain of its investments indirectly through subsidiary
partnerships and limited liability companies which we believe have been and will continue to be
treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for federal income tax purposes. In general,
entities that are treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for federal income tax purposes
are pass-through entities which are not required to pay federal income tax. Rather, partners or
members of such entities are allocated their shares of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction
and credit of the partnership or limited liability company, and are potentially required to pay tax
on this income, without regard to whether they receive a distribution from the partnership or
limited liability company. We will include in our income our share of these partnership and limited
liability company items for purposes of the various gross income tests, the computation of our REIT
taxable income, and the REIT distribution requirements. Moreover, for purposes of the asset tests,
we will include our pro rata share of assets held by our operating partnership, including its share
of its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, based on our capital interests in
each such entity. See Taxation of Our Company.
Entity Classification. Our interests in our operating partnership and the subsidiary
partnerships and limited liability companies involve special tax considerations, including the
possibility that the IRS might challenge the status of these entities as partnerships (or
disregarded entities). For example, an entity that would otherwise be treated as a partnership for
federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a publicly traded
partnership and certain other requirements are met. A partnership or limited liability company
would be treated as a publicly traded partnership if its interests are traded on an established
securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or a substantial equivalent
thereof, within the meaning of applicable Treasury Regulations. We do not anticipate that our
operating partnership or any subsidiary partnership or limited liability company will be treated as
a publicly traded partnership that is taxable as a corporation. However, if any such entity were
treated as a corporation, it would be required to pay an entity-level tax on its income. In this
situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income
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would change and could prevent us from satisfying the REIT asset tests and possibly the REIT
income tests. See Taxation of Our CompanyAsset Tests and Taxation of Our CompanyIncome
Tests. This, in turn, could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. See Failure to Qualify for a
discussion of the effect of our failure to meet these tests. In addition, a change in the tax
status of our operating partnership or a subsidiary partnership or limited liability company might
be treated as a taxable event. If so, we might incur a tax liability without any related cash
payment.
Allocations of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. The net income and loss of our operating
partnership are allocated in accordance with the terms of the partnership agreement. In
general, the net income of our operating partnership is allocated first to us to reverse
certain prior net losses (if any) and then to us and to holders of
partnership units in accordance with our respective percentage interests in our operating
partnership. In general, net loss is allocated first to us and to holders of partnership units
in accordance with our respective percentage interests in our operating partnership until the
capital account in the relevant units is reduced to zero and then to us as general partner in the amount of
any remaining net loss. Certain limited partners have guaranteed debt of our operating partnership,
indirectly through an agreement to make capital contributions to our operating partnership under
limited circumstances. As a result of these guaranties or contribution agreements, and
notwithstanding the foregoing discussion of allocations of income and loss of our operating
partnership to holders of units, such limited partners could under limited circumstances be
allocated a disproportionate amount of net loss upon a liquidation of our operating partnership,
which net loss would have otherwise been allocable to us.
If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the requirements of
Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, the item subject to the
allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners interests in the partnership. This
reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating
to the economic arrangement of the partners with respect to such item. Our operating partnerships
allocations of taxable income and loss are intended to comply with the requirements of Section
704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
Tax Allocations with Respect to the Properties. Under Section 704(c) of the Code, income,
gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to
a partnership in exchange for an interest in the partnership, must be allocated in a manner so that
the contributing partner is charged with the unrealized gain or benefits from the unrealized loss
associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or
unrealized loss generally is equal to the difference between the fair market value or book value
and the adjusted tax basis of the contributed property at the time of contribution, as adjusted
from time to time. These allocations are solely for federal income tax purposes and do not affect
the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners.
Our operating partnership may, from time to time, acquire interests in property in exchange
for interests in our operating partnership. In that case, the tax basis of these property interests
generally carries over to the operating partnership, notwithstanding their different book (i.e.,
fair market) value (this difference is referred to as a book-tax difference). The partnership
agreement requires that income and loss allocations with respect to these properties be made in a
manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Code. Treasury Regulations issued under Section 704(c)
of the Code provide partnerships with a choice of several methods of accounting for book-tax
differences. We and our operating partnership have agreed to use the traditional method for
accounting for book-tax differences for the properties initially contributed to our operating
partnership. Under the traditional method, which is the least favorable method from our
perspective, the carryover basis of contributed interests in the properties in the hands of our
operating partnership (i) will or could cause us to be allocated lower amounts of depreciation
deductions for tax purposes than would be allocated to us if all contributed properties were to
have a tax basis equal to their fair market value at the time of the contribution and (ii) could
cause us to be allocated taxable gain in the event of a sale of such contributed interests or
properties in excess of the economic or book income allocated to us as a result of such sale, with
a corresponding benefit to the other partners in our operating partnership. An allocation described
in (ii) above might cause us or the other partners to recognize taxable income in excess of cash
proceeds in the event of a sale or other disposition of property, which might adversely affect our
ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See Taxation of Our
CompanyRequirements for Qualification as a Real Estate Investment Trust and Taxation of Our
CompanyAnnual Distribution Requirements. With respect to properties contributed to our operating
partnership subsequent to the contribution of the initial properties, we and our operating
partnership have agreed to account for book-tax differences using any method approved under Section
704(c) of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations as chosen by the general partner under
the partnership agreement.
Any property acquired by our operating partnership in a taxable transaction will initially
have a tax basis equal to its fair market value, and Section 704(c) of the Code generally will not
apply.
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Federal Income Tax Considerations for Holders of Our Common Stock
The following summary describes the principal federal income tax consequences to you of
acquiring, owning and disposing of our common stock. This summary assumes you hold shares of our
common stock as capital assets (generally, property held for investment within the meaning of
Section 1221 of the Code). It does not address all the tax consequences that may be relevant to you
in light of your particular circumstances. In addition, this discussion does not address the tax
consequences relevant to persons who receive special treatment under the federal income tax law,
except where specifically noted. Holders receiving special treatment include, without limitation:
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financial institutions, banks and thrifts; |
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tax-exempt organizations; |
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traders in securities that elect to mark to market; |
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partnerships, pass-through entities and persons holding our common stock through
a partnership or other pass-through entity; |
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stockholders subject to the alternative minimum tax; |
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regulated investment companies and REITs; |
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non-U.S. governments and international organizations; |
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non-U.S. stockholders that are passive foreign investment companies or controlled
foreign corporations; |
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broker-dealers or dealers in securities or currencies; |
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persons holding our common stock as part of a hedge, straddle, conversion,
integrated or other risk reduction or constructive sale transaction; or |
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U.S. stockholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S.
dollar. |
If you are considering acquiring our common stock, you should consult your tax advisors
concerning the application of federal income tax laws to your particular situation as well as any
consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock arising under the
laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
When we use the term U.S. stockholder, we mean a holder of shares of our common stock who,
for federal income tax purposes, is:
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an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
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a corporation, including an entity treated as a corporation for federal income
tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of
any state thereof or in the District of Columbia; |
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an estate the income of which is subject to federal income taxation regardless of
its source; or |
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a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the
control of one or more U.S. persons or (2) has a valid election in effect under
applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If you hold shares of our common stock and are neither a U.S. stockholder nor a partnership
for federal income tax purposes, you are a non-U.S. stockholder.
If a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes
holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the
status of the partner and on the activities of the partnership. Partners of partnerships holding
shares of our common stock are encouraged to consult their tax advisors.
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders
Distributions Generally. Distributions out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits
will be treated as dividends and, other than with respect to capital gain dividends and certain
amounts which have previously been subject to corporate level tax discussed below, will be taxable
to our taxable U.S. stockholders as ordinary income when actually or constructively received. See
Tax Rates below. As long as we qualify as a REIT, these distributions will not be eligible for
the dividends-received deduction in the case of U.S. stockholders that are corporations or, except
to the extent provided in Tax Rates below, the preferential rates on qualified dividend income
applicable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders, including individuals. For purposes of determining
whether distributions to holders of our common stock are out of our current or accumulated earnings
and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to our outstanding preferred stock,
if any, and then to our outstanding common stock.
To the extent that we make distributions on our common stock in excess of our current and
accumulated earnings and profits allocable to such stock, these distributions will be treated first
as a tax-free return of capital to a U.S. stockholder. This treatment will reduce the U.S.
stockholders adjusted tax basis in such shares of stock by the amount of the distribution, but not
below zero. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and in
excess of a U.S. stockholders adjusted tax basis in its shares will be taxable as capital gain.
Such gain will be taxable as long-term capital gain if the shares have been held for more than one
year. Dividends we declare in October, November, or December of any year and which are payable to a
stockholder of record on a specified date in any of these months will be treated as both paid by us
and received by the stockholder on December 31 of that year, provided we actually pay the dividend
on or before January 31 of the following year. U.S. stockholders may not include in their own
income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.
Certain stock dividends, including dividends partially paid in our capital stock and partially
paid in cash that comply with recent IRS guidance, generally will be taxable to the recipient U.S.
stockholder to the same extent as if paid in cash.
Capital Gain Dividends. Dividends that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be
taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as a gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset
held for more than one year, to the extent that such gain does not exceed our actual net capital
gain for the taxable year. U.S. stockholders that are corporations may, however, be required to
treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. If we properly designate any
portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend, then, except as otherwise required by law, we
presently intend to allocate a portion of the total capital gain dividends paid or made available
to holders of all classes of our capital stock for the year to the holders of our common stock in
proportion to the amount that our total dividends, as determined for federal income tax purposes,
paid or made available to the holders of our common stock for the year bears to the total
dividends, as determined for federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to holders of all
classes of our capital stock for the year.
Retention of Net Capital Gains. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute as a capital
gain dividend, all or a portion of our net capital gains. If we make this election, we would pay
tax on our retained net capital gains. In addition, to the extent we so elect, our earnings and
profits (determined for federal income tax purposes) would be adjusted accordingly, and a U.S.
stockholder generally would:
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include its pro rata share of our undistributed net capital gains in computing
its long-term capital gains in its return for its taxable year in which the last day
of our taxable year falls, subject to certain limitations as to the amount that is
includable; |
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be deemed to have paid its share of the capital gains tax imposed on us on the
designated amounts included in the U.S. stockholders income as long-term capital
gain; |
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receive a credit or refund for the amount of tax deemed paid by it; |
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increase the adjusted basis of its common stock by the difference between the
amount of includable gains and the tax deemed to have been paid by it; and |
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in the case of a U.S. stockholder that is a corporation, appropriately adjust its
earnings and profits for the retained capital gains in accordance with Treasury
Regulations to be promulgated by the IRS. |
Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations. Distributions we make and gain
arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of our shares will not be treated as
passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders generally will not be able to apply any
passive losses against this income or gain. A U.S. stockholder may elect to treat capital gain
dividends, capital gains from the disposition of our stock and income designated as qualified
dividend income, described in Tax Rates below, as investment income for purposes of computing
the investment interest limitation, but in such case, the stockholder will be taxed at ordinary
income rates on such amount. Other distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a
return of capital, generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the
investment interest limitation.
Dispositions of Our Common Stock. If a U.S. stockholder sells or disposes of shares of common
stock, it will recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the
difference between the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on the
sale or other disposition and the holders adjusted basis in the shares. This gain or loss, except
as provided below, will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the holder has held such common
stock for more than one year. However, if a U.S. stockholder recognizes a loss upon the sale or
other disposition of common stock that it has held for six months or less, after applying certain
holding period rules, the loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent
the U.S. stockholder received distributions from us which were required to be treated as long-term
capital gains.
Tax Rates. The maximum tax rate for non-corporate taxpayers for (1) capital gains, including
certain capital gain dividends, has generally been reduced to 15% (although depending on the
characteristics of the assets which produced these gains and on designations which we may make,
certain capital gain dividends may be taxed at a 25% rate) and (2) qualified dividend income has
generally been reduced to 15%. In general, dividends payable by REITs are not eligible for the
reduced tax rate on qualified dividend income, except to the extent that certain holding
requirements have been met and the REITs dividends are attributable to dividends received from
taxable corporations (such as its taxable REIT subsidiaries) or to income that was subject to tax
at the corporate/REIT level (for example, if it distributed taxable income that it retained and
paid tax on in the prior taxable year) or to dividends properly designated by the REIT as capital
gain dividends. The currently applicable provisions of the federal income tax laws relating to the
15% tax rate are currently scheduled to sunset or revert to the provisions of prior law effective
for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, at which time the capital gains tax rate will
be increased to 20% and the rate applicable to dividends will be increased to the tax rate then
applicable to ordinary income. U.S. stockholders that are corporations may be required to treat up
to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income.
Medicare Tax on Unearned Income. Certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or
trusts will be required to pay an additional 3.8% tax on, among other things, dividends on and
capital gains from the sale or other disposition of stock for taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2012. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if
any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of our common stock.
Foreign Accounts. Certain future payments made to foreign financial institutions in respect
of accounts of U.S. stockholders at such financial institutions may be subject to withholding at a
rate of 30%. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of
this withholding provision on their ownership and disposition of our common stock and the effective
date of such provision. See Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersForeign Accounts.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. We are required to report to our U.S.
stockholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during each calendar year, and the amount of
any tax withheld. Under the backup withholding rules, a stockholder may be subject to backup
withholding with respect to dividends paid unless the holder is a corporation or comes within
certain other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact, or provides a taxpayer
identification number, certifies as to no loss of
exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the
backup withholding rules. A U.S. stockholder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer
identification number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Backup withholding is
not an additional tax. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the
stockholders federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished
to the IRS. In addition, we may be required to
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withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to
any stockholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status. See Taxation of Non-U.S.
Stockholders.
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders
Dividend income from us and gain arising upon a sale of our shares generally should not be
unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI, to a tax-exempt stockholder, except as described below.
This income or gain will be UBTI, however, if a tax-exempt stockholder holds its shares as
debt-financed property within the meaning of the Code or if the shares are used in a trade or
business of the tax-exempt stockholder. Generally, debt-financed property is property the
acquisition or holding of which was financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt stockholder.
For tax-exempt stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations,
supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, or qualified group legal services plans exempt from
federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) or (c)(20) of the Code,
respectively, income from an investment in our shares will constitute UBTI unless the organization
is able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for specific
purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our shares. These prospective
investors should consult their tax advisors concerning these set aside and reserve requirements.
Notwithstanding the above, however, a portion of the dividends paid by a pension-held REIT
may be treated as unrelated business taxable income as to certain trusts that hold more than 10%,
by value, of the interests in the REIT. A REIT will not be a pension-held REIT if it is able to
satisfy the not closely held requirement without relying on the look-through exception with
respect to certain trusts or if such REIT is not predominantly held by qualified trusts. As a
result of restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock contained in our charter, we do not
expect to be classified as a pension-held REIT, and as a result, the tax treatment described
above should be inapplicable to our stockholders. However, because our common stock is (and, we
anticipate, will continue to be) publicly traded, we cannot guarantee that this will always be the
case.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
The following discussion addresses the rules governing federal income taxation of the
acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock by non-U.S. stockholders. These rules
are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary of such rules.
Accordingly, the discussion does not address all aspects of federal income taxation and does not
address state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences that may be relevant to a non-U.S. stockholder in
light of its particular circumstances. We urge non-U.S. stockholders to consult their tax advisors
to determine the impact of federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax laws on the acquisition,
ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock, including any reporting requirements.
Distributions Generally. Distributions (including any taxable stock dividends) that are
neither attributable to gains from sales or exchanges by us of U.S. real property interests nor
designated by us as capital gain dividends (except as described below) will be treated as dividends
of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and
profits. Such distributions ordinarily will be subject to withholding of federal income tax at a
30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, unless the
distributions are treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. stockholder of
a U.S. trade or business. Under certain treaties, however, lower withholding rates generally
applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from a REIT. Certain certification and disclosure
requirements must be satisfied to be exempt from withholding under the effectively connected income
exemption. Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will
generally not be subject to withholding but will be subject to federal income tax on a net basis at
graduated rates, in the same manner as dividends paid to U.S. stockholders are subject to federal
income tax. Any such dividends received by a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation may also be
subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate (applicable after deducting federal
income taxes paid on such effectively connected income) or such lower rate as may be specified by
an applicable income tax treaty.
Except as otherwise provided below, we expect to withhold federal income tax at the rate of
30% on any distributions made to a non-U.S. stockholder unless:
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a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files with us an
IRS Form W-8BEN evidencing eligibility for that reduced treaty rate; or |
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the non-U.S. stockholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI with us claiming that
the distribution is income effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholders
trade or business. |
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be
taxable to a non-U.S. stockholder to the extent that such distributions do not exceed the adjusted
basis of the stockholders common stock, but rather will reduce the adjusted basis of such stock.
To the extent that such distributions exceed the non-U.S. stockholders adjusted basis in such
common stock, they will give rise to gain from the sale or exchange of such stock, the tax
treatment of which is described below. For withholding purposes, we expect to treat all
distributions as made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. However, amounts
withheld may be refundable if it is subsequently determined that the distribution was, in fact, in
excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, provided that certain conditions are
met.
Capital Gain Dividends and Distributions Attributable to a Sale or Exchange of U.S. Real
Property Interests. Distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder that we properly designate as capital
gain dividends, other than those arising from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest,
generally should not be subject to federal income taxation, unless:
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the investment in our common stock is treated as effectively connected
with the non-U.S. stockholders U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S.
stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect
to such gain, except that a non-U.S. stockholder that is a non-U.S. corporation may
also be subject to a branch profits tax of up to 30%, as discussed above; or |
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the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present
in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other
conditions are met, in which case the nonresident alien individual will be subject
to a 30% tax on the individuals capital gains. |
Pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, or FIRPTA, distributions to a
non-U.S. stockholder that are attributable to gain from sales or exchanges by us of U.S. real
property interests, or USRPIs, whether or not designated as capital gain dividends, will cause the
non-U.S. stockholder to be treated as recognizing such gain as income effectively connected with a
U.S. trade or business. Non-U.S. stockholders would generally be taxed at the same rates applicable
to U.S. stockholders, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax. We also will be required
to withhold and to remit to the IRS 35% (or 15% to the extent provided in Treasury Regulations) of
any distribution to non-U.S. stockholders that is designated as a capital gain dividend or, if
greater, 35% of any distribution to non-U.S. stockholders that could have been designated as a
capital gain dividend. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. stockholders federal
income tax liability. However, any distribution with respect to any class of stock that is
regularly traded on an established securities market located in the United States is not subject
to FIRPTA, and therefore, not subject to the 35% U.S. withholding tax described above, if the
non-U.S. stockholder did not own more than 5% of such class of stock at any time during the
one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Instead, such distributions will generally
be treated as ordinary dividend distributions and subject to withholding in the manner described
above with respect to ordinary dividends.
Retention of Net Capital Gains. Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that
amounts we designate as retained net capital gains in respect of the common stock held by
stockholders generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. stockholders in the same manner
as actual distributions of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. stockholders
would be able to offset as a credit against their federal income tax liability their proportionate
share of the tax that we paid on such retained net capital gains and to receive from the IRS a
refund to the extent their proportionate share of such tax that we paid exceeds their actual
federal income tax liability. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as
retained net capital gain, a non-U.S. stockholder should consult its tax advisor regarding the
taxation of such retained net capital gain.
Sale of Our Common Stock. Gain recognized by a non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale, exchange or
other taxable disposition of our common stock generally will not be subject to federal income
taxation unless such stock constitutes a USRPI. In general, stock of a domestic corporation that
constitutes a U.S. real property holding corporation, or USRPHC, will constitute a USRPI. We
believe that we are a USRPHC. Our common stock will not, however, constitute a USRPI so long as we
are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. A domestically controlled qualified
investment entity includes a REIT in which at all times during a specified testing period less
than 50% in value of its stock is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. stockholders. We believe,
but cannot guarantee, that we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. Because
our common stock is (and, we anticipate, will continue to be) publicly traded, no assurance can be given that we will
continue to be a domestically controlled qualified investment entity.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of
our common stock not otherwise subject to FIRPTA will be taxable to a non-U.S. stockholder if
either (a) the investment in our common stock is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S.
stockholders U.S. trade or business or (b) the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien
individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and
certain other conditions are met. In addition, even if we are a domestically controlled qualified
investment entity, upon disposition of our common stock, a non-U.S. stockholder may be treated as
having gain from the sale or other taxable disposition of a USRPI if the non-U.S. stockholder (1)
disposes of such stock within a 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any
portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been treated as gain from the sale or
exchange of a USRPI and (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed
to acquire, other shares of that stock during the 61-day period beginning with the first day of the
30-day period described in clause (1), subject to an exception applicable to regularly traded
stock if the non-U.S. stockholder did not own more than 5% of the stock at any time during the
one-year period ending on the date of the distribution described in clause (1).
Even if we do not qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity at the
time a non-U.S. stockholder sells our common stock, gain arising from the sale or other taxable
disposition by a non-U.S. stockholder of such stock would not be subject to federal income taxation
under FIRPTA as a sale of a USRPI if:
|
(1) |
|
such class of stock is regularly traded, as defined by applicable
Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market such as the NYSE; and |
|
(2) |
|
such non-U.S. stockholder owned, actually and constructively, 5% or less
of such class of our stock throughout the five-year period ending on the date of the
sale or exchange. |
If gain on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock were subject to
taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. stockholder would be subject to regular federal income tax with
respect to such gain in the same manner as a taxable U.S. stockholder (subject to any applicable
alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien
individuals). In addition, if the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock
were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, and if shares of our common stock were not regularly
traded on an established securities market, the purchaser of such common stock would generally be
required to withhold and remit to the IRS 10% of the purchase price.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax. Generally, we must report annually to the
IRS the amount of dividends paid to a non-U.S. stockholder, such holders name and address, and the
amount of tax withheld, if any. A similar report is sent to the non-U.S. stockholder. Pursuant to
tax treaties or other agreements, the IRS may make its reports available to tax authorities in the
non-U.S. stockholders country of residence.
Payments of dividends or of proceeds from the disposition of stock made to a non-U.S.
stockholder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless such holder
establishes an exemption, for example, by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form
W-8BEN or another appropriate version of IRS Form W-8. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup
withholding and information reporting may apply if either we have or our paying agent has actual
knowledge, or reason to know, that a non-U.S. stockholder is a U.S. person.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the federal income tax liability of
persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding
results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund or credit may be obtained, provided that the required
information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Foreign Accounts. Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to foreign
financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax
will be imposed on dividends on, and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our
stock paid to a foreign financial institution or to a foreign nonfinancial entity, unless (i) the
foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations or (ii) the
foreign non-financial entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or
furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner. In addition, if the payee
is a foreign financial institution, it generally must enter into an agreement with the U.S.
Treasury that requires, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain
U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such
accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to certain other account holders.
Although these rules currently apply to applicable payments made after December 31, 2012, in
recent guidance, the IRS has indicated that Treasury Regulations will be issued providing that the
withholding provisions described above will apply to payments of
51
dividends on our common stock made on or after January 1, 2014 and to payments of gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of
such stock on or after January 1, 2015. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors
regarding these withholding provisions.
Other Tax Consequences
State, local and non-U.S. income tax laws may differ substantially from the corresponding
federal income tax laws, and this discussion does not purport to describe any aspect of the tax
laws of any state, local or non-U.S. jurisdiction. You should consult your tax advisor regarding
the effect of state, local and non-U.S. tax laws with respect to our tax treatment as a REIT, the
exercise of redemption rights with respect to the partnership units and an investment in our common
stock.
52
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Washington, District
of Columbia. Certain matters of Maryland law, including the validity of the securities offered
hereby, will be passed upon for us by Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.
EXPERTS
The consolidated balance sheets of CoreSite Realty Corporation as of December 31, 2010 and
2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the period from
September 28, 2010 through December 31, 2010, the period from January 1, 2010 through September 27,
2010, and the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, and stockholders equity and comprehensive
income for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010, and the related
financial statement schedule, Schedule III Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation, have been
incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of
KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon
the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
53
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table itemizes the expenses incurred by us in connection with the issuance and
registration of the securities being registered hereunder. All amounts shown are estimates except
the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.
|
|
|
|
|
SEC Registration Fee |
|
$ |
42,680.48 |
|
*Printing and Duplicating Expenses |
|
|
2,500 |
|
*Legal Fees and Expenses |
|
|
45,000 |
|
*Accounting Fees and Expenses |
|
|
5,000 |
|
*Miscellaneous |
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
*Total |
|
$ |
110,180.48 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(*) |
|
Does not include expenses of preparing any accompanying prospectus supplements, listing fees,
transfer agent fees and other expenses related to offerings of shares of common stock
registered pursuant to this registration statement. |
We will pay all of the costs identified above.
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision eliminating
the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money
damages, except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in
money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final
judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates
our directors and officers liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
Maryland law requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our
charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or
otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a
party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation
to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments,
penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with
any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of their
service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:
|
|
|
the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to
the proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and
deliberate dishonesty; |
|
|
|
|
the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money,
property or services; or |
|
|
|
|
in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to
believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation also may not indemnify a director or officer in a
suit by or in the right of the corporation in which the director or officer was adjudged liable to
the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly
received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly
and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or
not the director or officer met the prescribed standard of conduct; however, indemnification for an
adverse judgment in a suit by us or in our right, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that
personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.
In addition, Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a
director or officer upon receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or
her good faith belief that he or she
has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification and (b) a written undertaking by
him or her or on his
II-1
or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed if it is ultimately
determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
Our charter authorizes us to obligate our company, and our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum
extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify
|
|
|
any present or former director or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party
to a proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity and |
|
|
|
|
any individual who, while a director or officer and, at our request, serves or has
served as a director, officer, trustee, partner, member or manager of another corporation,
real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise who is made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding by reason of his or her service in such capacity, |
against any claim or liability by reason of that status and to pay or reimburse his or her
reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding without requiring a preliminary
determination of his or her ultimate entitlement to indemnification. The rights to indemnification
and advance of expenses provided by our charter and bylaws vest immediately upon election of a
director or officer. Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any
individual who served a predecessor of our company or any entity acquired by our company, or its
predecessors, if any, or any partnership controlled by our company, or its predecessors, if any, in
any of the capacities described above and any employee or agent of us or a predecessor of our
company or acquired entity.
In addition, our directors and officers are indemnified for specified liabilities and expenses
pursuant to the partnership agreement of CoreSite, L.P., the partnership in which we serve as sole
general partner.
Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons
controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that, in the
opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, this indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 16. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this
registration statement on Form S-3:
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
No. |
|
Description |
3.1
|
|
Articles of Amendment and Restatement of CoreSite Realty Corporation (1) |
|
|
|
3.2
|
|
Amended and Restated Bylaws of CoreSite Realty Corporation (1) |
|
|
|
4.1
|
|
Form of Certificate for Common Stock of CoreSite Realty Corporation (1) |
|
|
|
5.1*
|
|
Opinion of Venable LLP regarding the legality of the securities being registered* |
|
|
|
8.1*
|
|
Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding certain tax matters.* |
|
|
|
10.1
|
|
Agreement of Limited Partnership of CoreSite, L.P.(2) |
|
|
|
10.2
|
|
Registration Rights Agreement, dated September 28, 2010, by and among CoreSite
Realty Corporation and the persons named therein (2) |
|
|
|
23.1*
|
|
Consent of KPMG LLP |
|
|
|
23.2*
|
|
Consent of Venable LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)* |
|
|
|
23.3*
|
|
Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included as part of Exhibit 8.1)* |
II-2
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
No. |
|
Description |
24.1*
|
|
Power of Attorney (included in signature pages) |
|
|
|
* |
|
Filed herewith. |
|
(1) |
|
Incorporated by reference to our Registration Statement (Amendment No. 7) on Form
S-11 (Registration No. 333-166810), filed on September 22, 2010. |
|
(2) |
|
Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 1, 2010. |
Item 17. Undertakings
(a) |
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
|
(1) |
|
To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
|
(i) |
|
To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933; |
|
|
(ii) |
|
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would
not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high
end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the Calculation of Registration
Fee table in the effective registration statement; |
|
|
(iii) |
|
To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained
in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of
the registration statement.
|
(2) |
|
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of
1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
|
|
(3) |
|
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
|
|
(4) |
|
That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933
to any purchaser: |
|
(i) |
|
each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule
424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the
date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration
statement; and |
II-3
|
(ii) |
|
each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule
424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on
Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or
(x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of
the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the
registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is
first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of
securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule
430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date
an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the
registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement
to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided,
however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that
is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or
deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus
that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time
of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any
statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was
part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately
prior to such effective date; |
|
(5) |
|
That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the
Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities,
the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the
undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the
underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are
offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the
undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to
offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
|
(i) |
|
Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned
registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
|
|
(ii) |
|
Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared
by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the
undersigned registrant; |
|
|
(iii) |
|
The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to
the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant
or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
|
|
(iv) |
|
Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made
by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
(b) |
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to
Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and where applicable,
each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof. |
|
(c) |
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as
part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of
prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4), or 497(h) under the
Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the
time it was declared effective. |
|
(d) |
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form
of prospectus shall be deemed
|
II-4
|
|
to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
offering thereof. |
(e) |
|
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
II-5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it
has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and
has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on September 28, 2011.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CORESITE REALTY CORPORATION
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Thomas M. Ray
|
|
|
|
Name: |
Thomas M. Ray |
|
|
|
Title: |
President |
|
|
POWER OF ATTORNEY
We, the undersigned directors and officers of CoreSite Realty Corporation, do hereby
constitute and appoint Thomas M. Ray and Jeffrey S. Finnin, and each of them, our true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to do any and all
acts and things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities as directors and officers and to
execute any and all instruments for us in the capacities indicated below, which said attorney and
agent may deem necessary or advisable to enable said corporation to comply with the Securities Act
of 1933 and any rules, regulations and agreements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in
connection with this registration statement, or any registration statement for this offering that
is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, including
specifically, but without limitation, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
hereto; and we hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorney and agent shall do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has
been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Thomas M. Ray
Thomas M. Ray
|
|
President and Director
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
|
September 28,
2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Jeffrey S. Finnin
Jeffrey S. Finnin
|
|
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer
and Principal Accounting Officer)
|
|
September 28,
2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Robert G. Stuckey
Robert G. Stuckey
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Directors
|
|
September 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ James A. Attwood, Jr.
James A. Attwood, Jr.
|
|
Director
|
|
September 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Michael Koehler
Michael Koehler
|
|
Director
|
|
September 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Paul E. Szurek
Paul E. Szurek
|
|
Director
|
|
September 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ J. David Thompson
J. David Thompson
|
|
Director
|
|
September 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ David A. Wilson
David A. Wilson
|
|
Director
|
|
September 28, 2011 |
II-6
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
No. |
|
Description |
3.1
|
|
Articles of Amendment and Restatement of CoreSite Realty Corporation (1) |
|
|
|
3.2
|
|
Amended and Restated Bylaws of CoreSite Realty Corporation (1) |
|
|
|
4.1
|
|
Form of Certificate for Common Stock of CoreSite Realty Corporation (1) |
|
|
|
5.1*
|
|
Opinion of Venable LLP regarding the legality of the securities being registered* |
|
|
|
8.1*
|
|
Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding certain tax matters.* |
|
|
|
10.1
|
|
Agreement of Limited Partnership of CoreSite, L.P. (2) |
|
|
|
10.2
|
|
Registration Rights Agreement, dated September 28, 2010, by and among CoreSite
Realty Corporation and the persons named therein (2) |
|
|
|
23.1*
|
|
Consent of KPMG LLP |
|
|
|
23.2*
|
|
Consent of Venable LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)* |
|
|
|
23.3*
|
|
Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included as part of Exhibit 8.1)* |
|
|
|
24.1*
|
|
Power of Attorney (included in signature pages) |
|
|
|
* |
|
Filed herewith. |
|
(1) |
|
Incorporated by reference to our Registration Statement (Amendment No. 7) on Form
S-11 (Registration No. 333-166810), filed on September 22, 2010. |
|
(2) |
|
Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 1, 2010. |