Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
Litigation - The Company is and may become, from time to time, involved in legal actions in the ordinary course of business, including governmental and administrative investigations, inquiries and proceedings concerning employment, labor, environmental, personal injury and other claims. Although management is unable to predict with certainty the eventual outcome of any legal action, management believes the ultimate liability arising from such actions, individually and in the aggregate, which existed at March 31, 2022, will not materially affect the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flow. Given the inherent unpredictability of these types of proceedings, however, it is possible that future adverse outcomes could have a material effect on our financial results.

Environmental Costs As a commercial real estate owner, the Company is subject to potential environmental costs. At March 31, 2022, management of the Company is not aware of any environmental concerns that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Surety Bonds The Company is required to maintain bonds under certain third-party agreements, as requested by certain utility providers, and under the rules and regulations of licensing authorities and other governmental agencies. The Company had bonds outstanding of approximately $0.9 million as of March 31, 2022.

Month-to-Month Leases The traditional golf segment has four month-to-month property leases which are cancellable by the parties with 30 days written notice. The traditional golf segment also has various month-to-month operating leases for carts and equipment. Lease expense is recorded in short-term lease cost as disclosed in Note 6.

Membership Deposit Liability In the traditional golf business, until 2021 private country club members generally paid an advance initiation deposit upon their acceptance as a member to the respective country club. Initiation deposits are refundable 30 years after the date of acceptance as a member. As of March 31, 2022, the total nominal value of initiation fee deposits was approximately $249.3 million with annual maturities through 2051.

In 2002 American Golf Corporation ("AGC"), when it was owned by a previous owner, entered into a Restated Membership Deposit Assumption Agreement, with two trusts established by a previous owner of AGC (the “Trusts”) under which the Trusts agreed to unconditionally assume the obligations of AGC to refund certain membership deposit liabilities ("MDLs") in exchange for shares in AGC. The MDLs assumed were refundable 30 years from the date of acceptance of the member with the first liabilities assumed by the Trusts becoming refundable in 2020. The total redemption value of membership deposit liabilities assumed by the Trusts was $181.9 million. No asset was recorded at the time of our acquisition of AGC in recognition of this assumption agreement for the $181.9 million of liabilities assumed by the Trusts for the following reasons. 1) the substantial time period between the assumption of the liabilities and the first liabilities becoming refundable; 2) the inability of AGC to verify and monitor the assets of the Trusts to ensure the ability to perform under the terms of the assumption agreements; 3) the fact that the Trusts are not required to maintain any assets that would support such performance; 4) the Trust settlors were not required contractually to fund the Trusts; and 5) The Company does not have the ability to determine the likelihood that the Trusts will meet their obligations. In the event the Trusts are not able to fulfill their obligations, the Company would be responsible for refunding the outstanding balance of the MDL and therefore, recognizes these MDLs on its balance sheet. Though the Trusts initially assumed $181.9 million of MDLs the balance of related MDLs carried on the books of AGC, as of March 31, 2022, has been reduced to an undiscounted nominal value of $115 million through various assignments to third parties and partial membership refunds due to membership transfers. To-date, the Trust has met all of their obligations that have come due for which the Trust assumed responsibility under the Restated Membership Deposit Assumption Agreement. As of March 31, 2022 the Trusts had refunded a total of approximately $0.3 million of MDLs under the terms of the assumption agreements.

Restricted Cash Approximately $4.0 million of restricted cash at March 31, 2022 is used as credit enhancement for traditional golf’s obligations related to the performance of lease agreements and certain insurance claims.

Commitments - As of March 31, 2022, the Company has additional operating leases that have not yet commenced of $65.3 million. The leases are expected to commence over the next 12 months with initial lease terms of approximately 10 years. These leases are primarily real estate leases for future entertainment golf venues and the commencement of these leases is contingent on completion of due diligence and satisfaction of certain contingencies which generally occurs prior to construction.

Preferred Dividends in Arrears - As of March 31, 2022, $5.6 million of dividends on the Company's cumulative preferred stock were unpaid and in arrears.