Saturday, October 3, 2009

Lodgian Provides Portfolio Update, Continues Cost Reduction Initiatives



ATLANTA, GA—Lodgian, Inc. (NYSE Alternext US:LGN), one of the nation’s largest independent hotel owners and operators,reported that it is developing a strategic plan to strengthen the company’s balance sheet and better position the company for the near- and intermediate-term. In conjunction with this plan, the company is conducting an analysis of its operating portfolio. Results of the review to date are as follows:

· The Merrill Lynch Fixed Rate Pool 3, secured by six hotels, is in default. The loan matured on October 1, 2009. The company has engaged in negotiations with the lender regarding extension and modification of the loan, with no resolution to date. Unless some agreement is reached in the near-term, the company intends to return the hotels to the lender in full satisfaction of the debt;

· The company has stopped servicing the debt secured by the Crowne Plaza in Worcester, Mass., and intends to return the hotel to the lender in full satisfaction of the debt; and

· The company continues its cost reduction initiatives.

Unless otherwise stated, debt balances and trailing twelve month figures in this press release are as of August 31, 2009.

“We continue to focus on strengthening our balance sheet by extending maturities for certain debt facilities and pursuing options with respect to overleveraged assets,” said Dan Ellis, Lodgian president and chief executive officer.

“Year-to-date, we have extended $71.6 million of the Merrill Lynch mortgage debt that matured on July 1, 2009. We remain committed to reducing administrative and operating costs to improve the operating performance of the company as a whole. Further, we continue our review of the portfolio which may result in additional assets being returned to lenders.”

Merrill Lynch Fixed Rate Pool 3

The Merrill Lynch Fixed Rate Pool 3, with a principal balance of $45.6 million, matured on October 1, 2009.


This loan bears interest at a fixed rate of 6.58%, is secured by six hotels, and is non-recourse to the company. Cash flow from the hotels securing this pool is insufficient to meet the related debt service obligations.

The trailing twelve month aggregate Net Operating Income (“NOI”) for the underlying properties was $2.4 million, while annual debt service is approximately $4.0 million.


The company has been in discussions with the lender regarding extension and modification of the loan; however, no agreement has been reached at this time. The loan is now in default and the lender may accelerate repayment of the loan and begin foreclosure proceedings, although it has not yet done so. If no agreement is reached, the company intends to return the hotels to the lender in full satisfaction of the debt.

Crowne Plaza Worcester


On a trailing twelve month basis, the cash flow from the Crowne Plaza in Worcester was not sufficient to service the debt on the property. As a result, the company did not make the required debt service payment on September 11, 2009. The company is now in default on this loan, and the lender may accelerate repayment of the loan.

The hotel is encumbered by a $16.3 million, fixed-rate CMBS mortgage that bears interest at 6.04%. The mortgage matures in February 2011, and is non-recourse to the company. Annual debt service on the mortgage is approximately $1.3 million, while the trailing twelve month NOI for the property was $0.6 million. The company does not expect further negotiation with the special servicer and intends to convey the hotel to the lender in lieu of repayment.

For a complete copy of the company's news release and further information, please contact:
Debi Neary Ethridge, Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations, dethridge@lodgian.com, (404) 365-2719

Maury L. Carter Team Closes Two Land Deals

ORLANDO, FL--Cornerstone at Lake Hart, Ltd. recently sold its 1± acre McDonald's leased outparcel to Nova Lot 4, LLC for $1,133,200 cash. The McDonald's is located in Cornerstone at Lake Hart, Ltd.'s Publix anchored shopping center at Narcoossee Road (Highway 15) and Moss Park Road in Orange County.

Daryl Carter and Patrick Chisholm with Maury L. Carter & Associates, Inc. represented the Seller. William T. Snow, II with SRS Real Estate Partners represented the Buyer.

Daryl M. Carter, Trustee of Carter-Gatlin Land Trust recently sold a 0.52± acre parcel in St. Lucie County to G. Callas Holdings, LLC for $225,000 cash. The parcel is located on the south side of Gatlin Boulevard at Cahaly Road in Port St. Lucie.

Patrick Chisholm and Preston Hage with Maury L. Carter & Associates, Inc. represented the Seller. David Miles with Coldwell Banker Commercial Thomas J. White Realty represented the Buyer.

Contact::  Joan M. Fisher, Maury L. Carter & Associates, Inc., 3333 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 200, Orlando, FL 32806-8500, (407) 581-6207 direct, (407) 422-3144 office, (407) 422-3155 fax, jfisher@maurycarter.com

NAI Realvest negotiates two new industrial lease contracts totaling 13,740 SF in Poinciana and SE Orlando


ORLANDO, Fla. – NAI Realvest recently negotiated two new lease agreements totaling 13,740 square feet of industrial space at industrial facilities in southeast Orlando and Poinciana in Kissimmee.

Michael Heidrich, (top right photo) a principal at NAI Realvest, brokered both transactions.

Paufer Corp. d/b/a Fun Time Inflatable Games, a Kissimmee-based firm, signed a three-year lease for 10,500 square feet for an indoor inflatable games center in units 100A-100E in the Airport Industrial Center located at 7480 Narcoossee Rd. in southeast Orlando. Columbus, Ohio-based Airport Investment Properties, LLC is the landlord.



At 1719 and 1721 Business Center Lane in the Poinciana CommerCenter (bottom left photo)  in Kissimmee, Mudodon Inc. d/b/a Academy of Martial Arts of Kissimmee leased 3,240 square feet for over five years. Small Bay Partners, LLC of Maitland is the landlord.

For more information, contact:

Michael Heidrich, Principal, NAI Realvest, 407-875-9989 mheidrich@realvest.com
Patrick Mahoney, President, NAI Realvest 407-875-9989 pmahoney@realvest.com
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 Lvershelco@aol.com

Richmond, VA Office Highlights Q3 2009


RICHMOND, VA--The silver lining of this office  market is that we have, or more appropriately will over the next six months, hit bottom, reports Perry Moss (top right photo)  of Jones Lang LaSalle Research in Richmond, VA.

 The upward turn will be slow and tenuous, but it will come. Mid-2010 to early 2011 should mark the arrival of true sustainable recovery and optimism. The local and national economies must return to a growth pattern, particularly employment, if commercial real estate is to substantially rebound. After all, the lifeblood of our industry is the employed workforce.

It really is a question of timing. What some consider the worst two-to-three
quarter stretch in the region’s history may finally be waning.

However, we are well into the full throws of the aftershocks. Commercial real estate is a classic lagging industry and this recession
no different.

A top headline, once again, is the virtual disappearance of the sales market. In the past three years, the sales count has fallen from 61 to 44 to 15 respectively.

Volume over the same time period has gone from $684 million to $358 million to $46 million. There remains a strong disconnect between buyers, sellers, and lenders.


Each has a radically different viewpoint on the market than they did just two years ago, which has resulted in a misalignment of goals, objectives and expectations.

The leasing market does not show this kind of falloff. In fact, leasing totals are relatively stable year-over-year for the past three years. The difference is found in the structure of the leases.

The clear trends are towards shorter terms, increased landlord incentives (free rent, TI, etc), and downward pressure on rental rates and escalations. Large block leases are also more scarce.

For a complete copy of the Richmond report, please contact:


Perry Moss, CCIM, +1 804 200 6463, Perry.Moss@am.jll.com
Alicia Moody, +1 804 200 6418, Alicia.Moody@am.jll.com