Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. Risk Factors
We are supplementing the risk factors described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our 2019 Form 10-K with the additional risk factor set forth below, which should be read in conjunction with the risk factors and other disclosures in this report and in our 2019 Form 10-K.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operation and liquidity, such impact worsened during and subsequent to the second quarter of 2020, and could continue to last with unknown severity and for an unknown period of time.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and on March 13, 2020, the U.S. declared a national emergency with respect to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic is complex and rapidly evolving, with federal, state and local governments, public institutions and other organizations imposing or recommending, and businesses and individuals implementing, restrictions on activities in order to combat its spread. These restrictions have included stay-at-home orders, bans on travel, limitations on the size of gatherings, limitations on the operations of businesses deemed non-essential, closures of work facilities, schools, public buildings and businesses, cancellation of events (including entertainment events, conferences and meetings), quarantines and social distancing measures. State and local governments have implemented phased reopening processes, often with reduced capacity and social distancing restrictions. Beginning in mid-June, there have been reports of increasing numbers of new COVID-19 cases throughout the United States, and in particular, Texas, resulting in some governments extending or re-imposing restrictions. In June, the city of Austin extended its Stay-at-Home order through August 15, 2020.
The pandemic has caused a sharp global slowdown of economic activity resulting in a recession, a steep increase in unemployment in the U.S. and significant volatility and disruption of financial markets. The pandemic had a significant adverse impact on our company in the first and second quarters of 2020 and is expected to continue to adversely impact our company beyond second-quarter 2020. Because the pandemic is unprecedented in recent history, and its severity, duration and future economic consequences are difficult to predict, we cannot predict its future impact on our company with any certainty. The COVID-19 pandemic has subjected our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity to a number of risks, including, but not limited to, those discussed below:
• Risks Related to our Liquidity . Although we project that we will be able to meet our debt service and other cash obligations for at least the next 12 months, our projections depend on many detailed and complex underlying assumptions, including that our hotel and entertainment businesses will not improve in 2020 and will gradually ramp up to a break-even point in the first half of 2021, and that current conditions in our leasing operations will not further deteriorate materially. No assurances can be given that the results anticipated by our projections will occur. If we later determine that we will likely not be able to meet our debt service and other cash obligations, or will likely not be able to meet covenants under our debt agreements, we may seek further amendments to, waivers of provisions of, or restructuring of our debt agreements, seek to sell assets, seek to reduce operating expenses, and/or seek to raise additional capital, any or all of which actions may not be successful. If we cannot meet our debt service obligations, or otherwise default under a debt agreement, our lenders may declare all amounts outstanding under
30
Table of Contents
the loans due and payable, seek to foreclose on the collateral securing the loans and/or seek to force us into involuntary bankruptcy proceedings.
• Risks Related to our Hotel Operations . The pandemic has had, and we believe will continue to have, a significant adverse impact on the hospitality industry, as it has resulted in dramatically curtailed business and leisure travel and caused cancellations of events or rescheduling of events until later in 2020 and beyond. Accordingly, the pandemic has resulted in a significant decrease in revenue and expected revenue from our hotel rooms, conference facilities and hotel amenities, as discussed throughout this report. The pandemic is expected to continue to negatively affect our hotel business, and the extent to which such adverse impacts continue depends on numerous evolving factors that we cannot predict. Moreover, even as travel advisories and restrictions are lifted, travel demand may remain weak for a significant length of time and attractions and events that previously brought visitors to the city of Austin may not proceed or may proceed with limited capacity. We cannot predict if or when our hotel will return to pre-pandemic demand or pricing.
• Risks Related to our Entertainment Operations . The pandemic has had, and we believe will continue to have, a significant adverse impact on the entertainment industry and our entertainment operations, as discussed throughout this report. It is unclear whether and to what extent pandemic-related concerns will impact the use of and/or demand for our entertainment venues as government restrictions are modified or lifted. Prolonged repercussions from the pandemic and government-mandated restrictions or other factors could continue to negatively affect our entertainment venues and the financial performance of our entertainment operations, and the extent to which such adverse impacts continue depends on numerous evolving factors that we cannot predict, including if or when our entertainment operations will return to pre-pandemic demand.
• Risks Related to our Leasing Operations . The COVID-19 pandemic is negatively affecting our retail and multi-family leasing operations, as discussed throughout this report. As a result of the pandemic and the related economic downturn, our retail tenants have requested, and may continue to request, additional rent deferrals, rent abatement, lease renegotiations or early termination of their leases as well as may be forced to temporarily or permanently close or declare bankruptcy, which could further reduce our cash flows. Our multi-family tenants may request future rent deferrals. In addition, state, local or industry-initiated efforts, such as tenant rent freezes or suspension of a landlord’s ability to enforce evictions, may also affect our ability to collect rent or enforce remedies for the failure to pay rent. Further, our ability to renew leases or re-lease vacant spaces on favorable terms, or at all, is constrained in the current environment, which may worsen.
• Risks Related to our Real Estate and Development Operations . The pandemic has negatively affected our real estate and development operations, as discussed throughout this report. We may be unable to sell assets in the current economic environment at a price that we find acceptable or at all. We have deferred progress on our development projects as we continue to monitor developments in the market. We cannot predict when we will be able to recommence the active pursuit of our development projects. Also, the economic downturn caused by the pandemic could diminish the demand for and value of our properties for an indeterminate period. The pandemic has also constrained the availability of capital to companies in the real estate industry, and we can provide no assurances that, once we resume our development plans, we will be able to access the required capital at a reasonable cost. Prolonged inability to pursue our development plans will have a negative effect on our business and future profits.
These and other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic could also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our 2019 Form 10-K. While we believe the risk factors above describe current material risks to our company related to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are other risks that we currently believe will not have a material adverse impact on us that may do so. In addition, there are other risks to our company, not necessarily related to the pandemic, which may adversely affect our business. For additional discussion, refer to Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the 2019 Form 10-K.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.