Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration No. 333-161298

In accordance with Rule 457(r), a registration fee of $3,045 has been calculated for 5,000,000 shares of common stock with an aggregate offering price of $42,700,000.

Prospectus Supplement
(To Prospectus dated August 12, 2009)

5,000,000 Shares

          Our board of directors has authorized and we have declared a dividend on our common stock of $0.33 per share, payable to our stockholders of record at the close of business on December 28, 2009. This represents an aggregate dividend of approximately $41 million. The dividend is expected to be paid on January 29, 2010.

          Each stockholder has the option to elect to receive the dividend in (1) cash or (2) shares of common stock, as described in more detail below, except that we will pay no more than 10% of the aggregate dividend (approximately $4.1 million) in the form of cash to stockholders in the dividend (other than cash payable in lieu of fractional shares). If stockholder elections would result in an aggregate cash payment in excess of 10% of the aggregate dividend, we will allocate the cash among stockholders as described under “Effect of Cash Limitation” and pay the remaining portion in shares of our common stock. We will pay cash in lieu of issuing any fractional shares, but cash paid in lieu of fractional shares will not count toward the 10% limit on cash payments.

          Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “DRH.” The value per share of our common stock for purposes of the dividend will be the volume weighted average trading prices of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, for the three-day period commencing on January 19, 2010 and ending on January 21, 2010. As a result, on the payment date, the value of the shares delivered in the dividend may be more or less than $0.33 per share.

          This prospectus supplement relates to the issuance of up to 5,000,000 shares of common stock in the dividend. The actual number of shares that will be issued in the dividend will depend on (1) stockholder elections and (2) the volume weighted average trading prices of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, for the three-day period commencing on January 19, 2010 and ending on January 21, 2010, all as described in greater detail below. If stockholder elections would result in payment of cash in an amount equal to 10% of the aggregate dividend (approximately $4.1 million), then the number of shares issued would be approximately 4,320,000 shares (based on the December 29, 2009 closing price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange of $8.54 per share).

          If you want to elect payment in cash or shares of common stock, complete and sign the enclosed election form and deliver it to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the transfer agent for our common stock and the information agent for the dividend, no later than 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on January 18, 2010. If the transfer agent does not receive a valid election from you by that time, we will pay the dividend on your shares in cash, shares of our common stock or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock as we choose in our sole discretion, subject to the total limitation on the amount of cash that we will pay in the dividend (other than cash paid in lieu of fractional shares).

          If you are not a record holder of our common stock but instead hold shares through a bank, broker or other nominee, please contact that bank, broker or nominee and inform them of the election they should make on your behalf.

Before making your election, you are urged to carefully read the risk factors incorporated herein by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as subsequently updated by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as amended.

          Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus supplement is December 30, 2009.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

		Page
THE ELECTION		S-1
REASON FOR THE DIVIDEND		S-2
EFFECT OF CASH LIMITATION		S-3
EFFECT OF OWNERSHIP LIMITATION		S-3
CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION CONSIDERATIONS		S-3
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		S-10
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE		S-10

PROSPECTUS

		Page
OUR COMPANY			1
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
RISK FACTORS			1
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			2
USE OF PROCEEDS			3
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED DIVIDENDS			3
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK			4
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK			4
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK			5
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES			7
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			10
RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER			11
BOOK ENTRY SECURITIES			13
DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN MATERIAL PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW, OUR CHARTER AND OUR BYLAWS			15
DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF DIAMONDROCK HOSPITALITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP			18
INVESTMENT POLICIES			21
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO OUR REIT ELECTION			23
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			33
LEGAL MATTERS			35
EXPERTS			35
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			35
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE			35

          This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of the dividend and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into the prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information, some of which may not apply to the dividend. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated by reference, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

          References in this prospectus to “we,” “our,” “us” and “our company” refer to DiamondRock Hospitality Company, including, as the context requires, DiamondRock Hospitality Limited Partnership, our operating partnership, as well as our other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including our taxable REIT subsidiaries.

          You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The offering of our shares of common stock in the dividend may be restricted by law in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions. This prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy any shares of our common stock in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. Elections made by any person in such a jurisdiction may be deemed invalid.

THE ELECTION

          You may elect to receive the dividend in the form of cash or shares of our common stock. You may make your election by choosing one of the election options in the accompanying election form:

	•		Cash Election. You elect to receive payment of the dividend in cash; this election is subject to proration as described in this prospectus supplement, and stockholders who elect this option may receive a combination of cash and shares of our common stock notwithstanding their election to receive cash.
	•		Stock Election. You elect to receive payment of the dividend in the form of common stock (other than cash for fractional shares, if applicable).

          Your election may be limited by the total limitation on the amount of cash that we will pay in the dividend and the limitation on ownership of our common stock, both of which are described below, and you will not receive cash or shares of our common stock to the extent these limitations require that a different allocation be made to you. In any case, we will pay cash in lieu of issuing any fractional shares.

          If a properly completed and signed election form is not received with respect to any shares of common stock before the deadline for receipt by the transfer agent, we reserve the right to pay the dividend with respect to such shares in the form of cash, shares of our common stock or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, subject to the total limitation on the amount of cash that we will pay in the dividend (other than cash paid in lieu of fractional shares).

          Because we will calculate the per share value of our common stock for purposes of determining the number of shares to be paid to stockholders who receive common stock as a partial or full payment of the dividend based on the volume weighted average of the trading prices of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange for the three-day period commencing on January 19, 2010 and ending on January 21, 2010 (the “Calculation Value”), the market value of shares received on January 29, 2010, which is the dividend payment date, may be greater or less than their Calculation Value.

Stockholders of Record

          In order to make your dividend election, please complete and sign the accompanying election form and return it to the transfer agent in the enclosed envelope as soon as possible. For your election to be effective, the election form must be received by the transfer agent no later than 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on January 18, 2010. You may revoke or change your election at anytime up to 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on January 18, 2010 by delivering a properly completed and signed election form to the transfer agent. Election forms may be obtained by contacting the transfer agent using the contact information noted below. The delivery will be deemed made only when actually received by the transfer agent. In all cases, you should allow sufficient time to ensure delivery before the deadline. The submission of an election form with respect to the dividend will constitute your representation and warranty that you have full power and authority to make your election.

          Elections with respect to the dividend on each specific share of our common stock may be made only by the holder of record of that share at the close of business on December 28, 2009, which is the record date for the dividend.

Beneficial Stockholders

          If your shares are held in the name of a bank, broker or other nominee, you should promptly inform the bank, broker or nominee of the election they should make on your behalf.

General

          All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance by us of any dividend election form will be resolved by us, in our sole discretion, and our determination as to the resolution of any such questions shall be final and binding on all parties. We reserve the absolute right to reject, in our sole discretion, any and all election forms determined by us not to be in proper form, not timely received, ineligible or otherwise invalid, or if acceptance may, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the absolute right to waive any defect or irregularity in the election form submitted by any particular stockholder, whether or not we choose to waive any similar defects or irregularities in the case of other stockholders. No election will be deemed to have been validly made until all defects and irregularities have been cured to our satisfaction or waived. Neither we nor the transfer agent nor any other person will be under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in election forms or incur any liability for failure to give any such notification. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the dividend and the terms and conditions of stockholder elections will be final and binding.

          All shares of our common stock issued in the dividend will be issued only in book-entry form. This means that we will not issue any certificates representing shares of our common stock issued in payment of the dividend. On January 29, 2010, the transfer agent will issue and mail to each of our stockholders of record that receives shares of our common stock in the dividend a statement listing the number of shares credited to that stockholder’s book-entry account and a payment check or direct deposit for any cash to which such stockholder is entitled (including, if applicable, cash in lieu of fractional shares) in the dividend.

          For stockholders who hold through a bank, broker or other nominee, the shares of our common stock and cash to which such stockholder is entitled in the dividend will be delivered by the transfer agent to that stockholder’s bank, broker or nominee. The bank, broker or nominee will then allocate the shares and cash to such stockholder’s individual account. All cash payments to which a stockholder is entitled in the dividend will be rounded to the nearest penny. Neither we nor the transfer agent will have any responsibility or liability for the distribution, interpretation or administration of any instruction forms distributed by banks, brokers or other nominees, or for any allocations made by these banks, brokers or other nominees to the accounts of stockholders who hold our common stock through these intermediaries.

          Completed election forms must be delivered to our transfer agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, which is acting as information agent for stockholder elections with respect to the dividend, no later than 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on January 18, 2010, in the enclosed envelope in accordance with the following delivery instructions:

By Regular Mail:		By Overnight Courier or Hand Delivery:
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company 59 Maiden Lane Plaza Level New York, NY 10038		American Stock Transfer & Trust Company Operations Center 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219

          If you are a stockholder of record and need additional information about completing the election form or other matters relating to the dividend, please contact American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, our transfer and information agent at (718) 921- 8124 or toll-free at (800) 937-5449.

          If your shares are held through a bank, broker or other nominee, please contact that bank, broker or nominee if you have any questions or need additional information about the dividend or the election they may make on your behalf.

REASON FOR THE DIVIDEND

          We are taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax purposes. In order to qualify as a REIT and minimize taxes, we have chosen to distribute to our stockholders 100% of our “taxable” income as determined for federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, we are paying a dividend in the amount of $0.33 per share. We intend that the dividend will be treated as a taxable dividend to our stockholders for 2009 federal income tax purposes, without regard to the form of payment.

EFFECT OF CASH LIMITATION

          The total amount of cash payable in the dividend is limited to 10% of the total value of the dividend paid to stockholders, or approximately $4.1 million (the “Cash Limitation”), not including any cash payments in lieu of fractional shares. Whether the Cash Limitation will affect stockholders who elect to receive payment of the dividend in cash depends on how many stockholders elect to receive payment in shares of stock. If satisfying stockholder elections for cash-only payments would result in the payment of cash in excess of the Cash Limitation, then the total amount of cash will be prorated as follows: each stockholder electing to receive cash will receive a pro rata amount of cash corresponding to the stockholder’s respective entitlement under the dividend. Any stockholder electing to receive cash will not receive less than 10% of the stockholder’s entire entitlement under the dividend in cash. As a result, if you elect to receive the dividend in the form of cash, and if the total amount of cash payments to all stockholders who elect to receive payment of the dividend in cash would exceed the Cash Limitation, you will not receive your entire dividend in the form of cash. Instead, you would receive a portion in cash and the remainder in shares of common stock, valued based on the volume weighted average trading prices of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange, for the three-day period commencing on January 19, 2010 and ending on January 21, 2010 (subject to the ownership limitation described below and the payment of cash in lieu of any fractional shares). All cash payments to which a stockholder is entitled will be rounded to the nearest penny and fractional shares, if any, will be paid in cash.

EFFECT OF OWNERSHIP LIMITATION

          To maintain our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, not more than 50% in value of our outstanding stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals at any time during the last half of any taxable year. To maintain this qualification, and to otherwise address concerns about concentrations of ownership of our stock, our charter generally prohibits ownership (directly, indirectly by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or beneficially as defined in Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act (the “Exchange Act”)) by any single stockholder of more than 9.8% of the issued and outstanding shares of any class or series of our stock. In general, under our charter, certain “look through entities,” such as mutual funds, may beneficially own up to 15% of our common stock. Under our charter, our board of directors may in its sole discretion waive or modify the ownership limit for one or more persons. Nonetheless, if you elect to receive common stock and your receipt of common stock would cause you to exceed the applicable ownership limit, you will receive cash to the extent required to bring you within this ownership limit. If you elect to receive common stock and it is issued to you in violation of the applicable ownership limit, all of the remedies applicable under the ownership limit will apply to this common stock. For a more detailed description of the ownership limit and the remedies applicable thereunder, see “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in the accompanying prospectus.

CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION CONSIDERATIONS

          The following summary outlines certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the dividend and the federal income tax considerations under current law that are likely to be material to a holder of our common stock who is a “U.S. stockholder” (as hereinafter defined). This summary does not contain a complete discussion of the federal tax aspects of the investment that may be important to you. Moreover, it does not address any foreign, state or local tax consequences of an investment in our common stock. The provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, concerning the federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its stockholders are highly technical and complex; the following discussion sets forth only certain aspects of those provisions. This summary is intended to provide you with general information only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. The discussion below assumes that you will hold our common stock as a capital asset. We do not address the federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to stockholders subject to special treatment under the Code, including, without limitation, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, financial institutions, broker-dealers, tax-exempt or non-U.S. investors (except as specifically discussed below), foreign governments, stockholders that hold our stock as a hedge, part of a straddle, conversion transaction, or other arrangement involving more than one position, or through a partnership or other pass-through entity, or U.S. expatriates.

          This summary is based on provisions of the Code, applicable final and temporary Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions and administrative rulings and practice, all in effect as of the date of this prospectus supplement, and should not be construed as legal advice. No assurance can be given that future legislative or administrative changes or judicial decisions will not affect the accuracy of the descriptions or conclusions contained in this summary. In addition, any such changes may be retroactive and apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment, promulgation or release. We do not expect to seek a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, regarding any of the federal income tax issues discussed in this prospectus supplement, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge any of the positions we take and that such a challenge will not succeed. Stockholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of the dividend with specific reference to their own tax situations. This summary supplements and should be read together with the general discussion of the tax considerations relating to our qualification as a REIT described in the accompanying prospectus under the title “Federal Income Tax Considerations Related to Our REIT Election.”

Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Dividend

          The tax consequences of the dividend will depend on a stockholder’s particular tax circumstances. Holders of our common stock are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the specific U.S. federal, state and local, and foreign income and other tax consequences of the dividend to them.

          The dividend is intended to assist us in meeting the requirement that we distribute to our stockholders an amount equal to our 2009 taxable income. For a discussion of this requirement, see “Federal Income Tax Considerations Related To Our REIT Election — Annual Distribution Requirements” in the accompanying prospectus. Each stockholder of record at the close of business on December 28, 2009, will receive in a dividend, expected to be paid on January 29, 2010, shares of our common stock or cash, at such stockholder’s election, subject to the Cash Limitation and the ownership limitation described above.

          We are limiting the maximum aggregate amount of cash to be distributed as part of the dividend. We intend for this dividend to comply with the requirements of Revenue Procedure 2010-12 so that (1) the dividend is treated as a taxable dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (2) the amount of the dividend paid in common stock is treated as equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of the common stock, and (3) if some stockholders receive a combination of cash and shares of common stock that differs from the combination received by other stockholders and if the fair market value of the common stock on the date of the distribution differs from the amount of cash that could have been received instead, those differences will not cause the distribution to be a preferential dividend under the Code. We have not requested, and do not plan to request, a private letter ruling from the IRS with respect to the dividend.

          For additional discussion of certain federal income tax considerations relating to the acquisition, holding and disposition of our common stock, please see the description below under the heading “Taxation of U.S. Stockholders Holding Common Stock.”

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders

          When we refer to a U.S. stockholder, we mean a beneficial owner of a share of our common stock that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

     (1) a citizen or resident, as defined in Code Section 7701(b), of the United States;

     (2) a corporation or partnership, or other entity treated as a corporation or partnership for federal income tax purposes, created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia;

     (3) an estate the income of which is subject to federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

     (4) a trust that is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and the control of one or more United States persons or that has a valid election in effect under the applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person under the Code.

          Generally, in the case of a partnership that holds our common stock, any partner that would be a U.S. stockholder if it held our common stock directly is also a U.S. stockholder. A “non-U.S. stockholder” is a holder, including any partner in a partnership that holds our common stock, that is not a U.S. stockholder.

          Each U.S. stockholder must include the sum of the value of the shares of our common stock and the amount of cash, if any, received pursuant to the dividend in its gross income as dividend income to the extent that such stockholder’s share of the dividend is made out of its share of the portion of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocable to the dividend. Under Revenue Procedure 2010-12, for this purpose, the amount of the dividend paid in common stock will be equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of the common stock. A stockholder that receives shares of our common stock pursuant to the dividend would have a tax basis in such stock equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of such stock as described above, and the holding period in such stock would begin on the day following the payment date for the dividend.

          A U.S. stockholder receiving the dividend may be required to pay income tax with respect to the dividend in excess of the cash received, if any. If a U.S. stockholder sells the shares it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the changes in the market price of the shares.

          For certain U.S. stockholders, the dividend may be an “extraordinary dividend.” An “extraordinary dividend” is a dividend that is equal to at least 10% of a stockholder’s adjusted basis in its shares of our common stock. A U.S. stockholder that receives an extraordinary dividend and later sells its underlying shares at a loss will be treated as realizing a long-term capital loss, regardless of its holding period in its shares, to the extent of the extraordinary dividend.

          The dividend will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction generally available to corporations. Such corporate holders should also consider the possible effects of section 1059 of the Code, which reduces a corporate holder’s basis in its shares, but not below zero, by the non-taxed portion of an extraordinary dividend, where the holder has not held such shares for more than two years before the dividend announcement date. Corporate stockholders should also consider the effect of the corporate alternative minimum tax, which imposes a maximum tax rate of 20% on a corporation’s alternative minimum taxable income for the taxable year and which is calculated without regard to the dividends received deduction.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

          The following discussion is applicable to non-U.S. stockholders that did not own more than 5% of our common stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the payment date of the dividend.

          A non-U.S. holder of our common stock will treat the amount of the dividend as ordinary income.

          For non-U.S. stockholders, the dividend will be subject to withholding of United States federal income tax on a gross basis at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, unless it is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. stockholder of a United States trade or business. Certain certification and disclosure requirements must be satisfied for the stockholder to be exempt from withholding under the effectively connected income exemption. If the dividend is effectively connected with such a trade or business, a non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to tax on the dividend on a net basis (that is, after allowance of deductions) at graduated rates and generally will not be subject to withholding. A non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax on the dividend at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

          Generally, information reporting will apply to the payment of the dividend, and backup withholding at the rate of 28% may apply, unless the payee certifies that it is not a U.S. person or otherwise establishes an exemption.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders Holding Common Stock

          Distributions by us, other than capital gain dividends, will constitute ordinary dividends to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits as determined for federal income tax purposes. In general, these dividends will be taxable as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate stockholders. Our ordinary dividends generally will not qualify as “qualified dividend income” taxed as net capital gain for U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts, or estates. However, distributions to U.S.

stockholders that are individuals, trusts, or estates generally will constitute qualified dividend income taxed as net capital gains (effective through 2010, unless extended by Congress) to the extent the U.S. stockholder satisfies certain holding period requirements and to the extent the dividends are attributable to (i) qualified dividend income we receive from other corporations, such as Bloodstone TRS, Inc. and other TRSs, and (ii) dividends paid from our undistributed earnings or from built-in gains taxed at the corporate level and provided we properly designate the distributions as such. We do not anticipate distributing a significant amount of qualified dividend income. The discussion in this section applies equally to distributions payable in cash and taxable stock distributions.

          To the extent that we make a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (a “return of capital distribution”), the distribution will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital, reducing the tax basis in a U.S. stockholder’s shares. To the extent a return of capital distribution exceeds a U.S. stockholder’s tax basis in its shares, the distribution will be taxable as capital gain realized from the sale of such shares.

          Dividends declared by us in October, November or December and payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any such month shall be treated both as paid by us and as received by the stockholder on December 31 of the year, provided that the dividend is actually paid by us during January of the following calendar year.

          We will be treated as having sufficient earnings and profits to treat as a dividend any distribution up to the amount required to be distributed in order to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax generally applicable to REITs if certain distribution requirements are not met. Moreover, any deficiency dividend will be treated as an ordinary or a capital gain dividend, as the case may be, regardless of our earnings and profits. As a result, stockholders may be required to treat certain distributions as taxable dividends that would otherwise result in a tax-free return of capital.

Capital Gain Dividends

          Distributions that are properly designated as capital gain dividends will be taxed as long-term capital gains (to the extent they do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year) without regard to the period for which the stockholder has held its shares. The current reduced capital gain rates applicable to non-corporate taxpayers are scheduled to increase after December 31, 2010, unless extended by Congress. However, corporate stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. In addition, U.S. stockholders may be required to treat a portion of any capital gain dividend as “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain,” taxable at a maximum rate of 25% (through 2010), if we incur such gain. Capital gain dividends are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporations.

          The REIT provisions do not require us to distribute our long-term capital gain, and we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gains received during the taxable year. If we so elect for a taxable year, our stockholders would include in income as long-term capital gains their proportionate share of such portion of our undistributed long-term capital gains for the taxable year as we may designate. A U.S. stockholder would be deemed to have paid its share of the tax paid by us on such undistributed capital gains, which would be credited or refunded to the stockholder. The U.S. stockholder’s basis in its shares would be increased by the amount of undistributed long-term capital gains (less the capital gains tax paid by us) included in the U.S. stockholder’s long-term capital gains.

Passive Activity Loss and Investment Interest Limitations

          Our distributions and gain from the disposition of our shares will not be treated as passive activity income and, therefore, U.S. stockholders will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against such income. With respect to non-corporate U.S. stockholders, our dividends (to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital) that are taxed at ordinary income rates will generally be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation; however, net capital gain from the disposition of our shares (or distributions treated as such), capital gain dividends, and dividends taxed at net capital gains rates generally will be excluded from investment income except to the extent the U.S. stockholder elects to treat such amounts as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. U.S. stockholders may not include on their own federal income tax returns any of our tax losses.

Sale or Disposition of Shares

          In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our common stock by a stockholder that is not a dealer in securities will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for

more than one year and otherwise as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss upon a sale or exchange of the shares by a stockholder who has held such stock for six months or less (after applying certain holding period rules) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of our distributions or undistributed capital gains required to be treated by such stockholder as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares may be disallowed if other shares are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition.

Unrelated Business Taxable Income

In General

          In general, a tax-exempt organization is exempt from federal income tax on its income, except to the extent of its “unrelated business taxable income” or UBTI, which is defined by the Code as the gross income derived from any trade or business which is regularly carried on by a tax-exempt entity and unrelated to its exempt purposes, less any directly connected deductions and subject to certain modifications. For this purpose, the Code generally excludes from UBTI any gain or loss from the sale or other disposition of property (other than stock in trade or property held primarily for sale in the ordinary course of a trade or business), dividends, interest, rents from real property, and certain other items. However, a portion of any such gains, dividends, interest, rents, and other items generally is UBTI to the extent derived from debt-financed property, based on the amount of “acquisition indebtedness” with respect to such debt-financed property.

          Distributions we make to a tax-exempt employee pension trust or other domestic tax-exempt stockholder or gains from the disposition of our shares held as capital assets generally will not constitute UBTI unless the exempt organization’s shares are debt-financed property (e.g., the stockholder has borrowed to acquire or carry its shares). This general rule does not apply, however, to distributions to certain pension trusts that are qualified trusts (as defined below) and that hold more than 10% (by value) of our shares. For these purposes, a qualified trust is defined as any trust described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code. If we are treated as a “pension-held REIT,” such qualified trusts will be required to treat a percentage of their dividends received from us as UBTI if we incur UBTI. We will be treated as a pension-held REIT if (i) we would fail the requirement that, during the last half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals (the “5/50 Test”) if qualified trusts were treated as “individuals” for purposes of the 5/50 Test and (ii) we are “predominantly held” by qualified trusts. Stock ownership for purposes of the 5/50 Test is determined by applying the constructive ownership provisions of Section 544(a) of the Code, subject to certain modifications. The term “individual” for purposes of the 5/50 Test includes a private foundation, a trust providing for the payment of supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, and a portion of a trust permanently set aside or to be used exclusively for charitable purposes. A qualified trust described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code generally is not treated as an individual; rather, shares held by it are treated as owned proportionately by its beneficiaries. We will be “predominantly held” by qualified trusts if either (i) a single qualified trust holds more than 25% by value of our stock or (ii) one or more qualified trusts, each owning more than 10% by value of our stock, hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of our stock.

          In the event we are a pension-held REIT, a qualified trust owning 10% or more of our shares should expect to recognize UBTI as a result of its investment, and we cannot assure you that we will never be treated as a pension-held REIT. The percentage of any dividend received from us treated as UBTI would be equal to the ratio of (a) the gross UBTI (less certain associated expenses) earned by us (treating us as if we were a qualified trust and, therefore, subject to tax on UBTI) to (b) our total gross income (less certain associated expenses). A de minimis exception applies where the ratio set forth in the preceding sentence is less than 5% for any year; in that case, no dividends are treated as UBTI. Our gross UBTI for theses purposes would include the rent we receive from Bloodstone TRS, Inc. and, therefore, could be substantial.

Special Issues

          Social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and qualified group legal services plans that are exempt from taxation under paragraphs (7), (9), (17), and (20), respectively, of Section 501(c) of the Code are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions from us as UBTI.

Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding Tax

          We will report to our U.S. stockholders and to the IRS the amount of distributions paid during each calendar year, and the amount of tax withheld, if any. Under the backup withholding rules, a U.S. stockholder may be subject to backup withholding at the current rate of 28% with respect to distributions paid, unless such stockholder (i) is a corporation or other exempt entity and, when required, proves its status or (ii) certifies under penalties of perjury that the taxpayer identification number the stockholder has furnished to us is correct and the stockholder is not subject to backup withholding and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. A U.S. stockholder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the stockholder’s income tax liability.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders Holding Common Stock

          The rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of our stockholders who are beneficial owners of our common stock and who are not U.S. stockholders or entities treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes, such as nonresident alien individuals, foreign corporations, and foreign trusts and estates (“non-U.S. stockholders”), are complex. This section is only a summary of such rules. We urge non-U.S. stockholders to consult their own tax advisors to determine the impact of federal, state, local and foreign income tax laws on ownership of our common stock, including any reporting requirements.

Distributions

          A non-U.S. stockholder that receives a distribution that is not attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” (as defined below) and that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend or retained capital gain generally will recognize ordinary income to the extent that we pay the distribution out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. A withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of the distribution ordinarily will apply unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates the tax. Under some treaties, lower withholding rates do not apply to dividends from REITs. However, if a distribution is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S. stockholder generally will be subject to federal income tax on the distribution at graduated rates (in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed on distributions) and also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a corporate non-U.S. stockholder. We plan to withhold U.S. income tax at the rate of 30% on the gross amount of any distribution paid to a non-U.S. stockholder that is neither a capital gain dividend nor a distribution that is attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” unless either (i) a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files with us any required IRS Form W-8 (for example, an IRS Form W-8BEN) evidencing eligibility for that reduced rate or (ii) the non-U.S. stockholder files with us an IRS Form W-8ECI claiming that the distribution is effectively connected income.

          A non-U.S. stockholder generally will not incur tax on a return of capital distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits that is not attributable to the gain from our disposition of a “United States real property interest” if the excess portion of the distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of the non-U.S. stockholder’s common stock. Instead, the excess portion of the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of that common stock. However, a non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to tax on such a distribution that exceeds both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the non-U.S. stockholder’s adjusted basis in the common stock, if the non-U.S. stockholder otherwise would be subject to tax on gain from the sale or disposition of its common stock, as described below. Because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether or not the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we normally will withhold tax on the entire amount of any distribution at the same rate as we would withhold on a dividend. However, a non-U.S. stockholder may obtain a refund of amounts that we withhold if we later determine that a distribution in fact exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

          We may be required to withhold 10% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits. Consequently, although we intend to withhold at a rate of 30% on the entire amount of any distribution that is neither attributable to the gain from our disposition of a “United States real property interest” nor

designated by us as a capital gain dividend, to the extent that we do not do so, we will withhold at a rate of 10% on any portion of a distribution not subject to withholding at a rate of 30%.

          Subject to the exception discussed below for 5% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock, a non-U.S. stockholder will incur tax on distributions that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” under special provisions of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, or FIRPTA. The term “United States real property interests” includes interests in U.S. real property and shares in U.S. corporations at least 50% of whose assets consist of interests in U.S. real property. Under those rules, a non-U.S. stockholder is taxed on distributions attributable to gain from sales of United States real property interests as if the gain were effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business. A non-U.S. stockholder thus would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal capital gain rates applicable to U.S. stockholders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual. A corporate non-U.S. stockholder not entitled to treaty relief or exemption also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax on such a distribution. We generally must withhold 35% of any distribution subject to these rules that we could designate as a capital gain distribution (“35% FIRPTA Withholding”). A non-U.S. stockholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount we withhold.

          A non-U.S. stockholder that owns no more than 5% of our common stock at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of a distribution will not be subject to 35% FIRPTA Withholding with respect to such distribution that is attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of United States real property interests, provided that our common stock continues to be regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States. Instead, any such distributions made to such non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the general withholding rules discussed above, which generally impose a withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of each distribution (unless reduced by treaty).

Dispositions

          If the gain on the sale of the common stock were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. stockholder would be taxed on that gain in the same manner as U.S. stockholders with respect to that gain, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax, and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. A non-U.S. stockholder generally will not incur tax under FIRPTA on a sale or other disposition of our stock if we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity,” which means that, during the shorter of the period since our formation and the five-year period ending on the date of the distribution or dispositions, non-U.S. stockholders hold, directly or indirectly, less than 50% in value of our shares. We cannot assure you that we will be a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. However, the gain from a sale of our common stock by a non-U.S. stockholder will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA if (i) our common stock is considered regularly traded under applicable Treasury Regulations on an established securities market, such as the New York Stock Exchange, and (ii) the non-U.S. stockholder owned, actually or constructively, 5% or less of our common stock at all times during a specified testing period. Since the completion of our initial public offering, we believe our common stock has been regularly traded on an established securities market. Accordingly, a non-U.S. stockholder should not incur tax under FIRPTA with respect to gain on a sale of our common stock unless it owns, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock provided that our common stock continues to be regularly traded on an established securities market.

          In addition, even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, upon a disposition of our common stock, a non-U.S. stockholder may be treated as having gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest if the non-U.S. stockholder (i) disposes of an interest in our common stock during the 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 sale or exchange of a United States real property interest and (ii) directly or indirectly acquires, enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of our common stock within 30 days before or after such ex-dividend date. The foregoing rule does not apply if the exception described above for distributions to 5% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock is satisfied.

          Furthermore, a non-U.S. stockholder generally will incur tax on gain not subject to FIRPTA if (i) the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s 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, or (ii) the non-U.S.

stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will incur a 30% tax on his or her capital gains.

          Purchasers of our stock from a non-U.S. stockholder generally will be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 10% of the purchase price unless at the time of purchase (i) any class of our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States (subject to certain limits if the shares sold are not themselves part of such a regularly traded class) or (ii) we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. The non-U.S. stockholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount withheld.

Legislative or other actions affecting REITs

     The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department. No assurance can be given as to whether, when, or in what form, the U.S. federal income tax laws applicable to us and our stockholders may be enacted. Changes to the federal tax laws and interpretations of federal tax laws could adversely affect an investment in our common stock.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

          We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filing number is 001-32514. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E. Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. You can inspect reports and other information we file at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. In addition, we maintain a website that contains information about us at www.drhc.com. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus supplement or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.

          We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-161298), of which this prospectus supplement is a part, including exhibits, schedules and amendments filed with, or incorporated by reference in, the registration statement, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the shares of our common stock registered thereby. This prospectus supplement does 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 pursuant to the registration statement, reference is made to the registration statement, including the exhibits to the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus supplement as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to in, or incorporated by reference in, this 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. Copies of the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement, may be examined at the SEC’s public reference room. 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. This registration statement is also available to you on the SEC’s web site, http://www.sec.gov.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” in this prospectus supplement certain information we file with the SEC, which means that we may disclose important information in this prospectus supplement by referring you to the document that contains the information. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus supplement, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below that we filed with the SEC:

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008;

	•		our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as amended, for the quarters ended March 27, 2009, June 19, 2009 and September 11, 2009;
	•		our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on March 4, 2009, as amended by additional definitive proxy materials filed on March 6, 2009;
	•		the description of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on May 25, 2005 (file number 001-32514);
	•		our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 15, 2009;
	•		our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 27, 2009;
	•		our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 14, 2009 (solely with respect to Items 2.03 and 8.01 of such Form 8-K);
	•		our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 15, 2009;
	•		our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 17, 2009; and
	•		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 this offering.

          You may request a copy of these documents, and any exhibits we have specifically incorporated by reference as an exhibit in this prospectus supplement, at no cost by writing us at the following address or calling us at the telephone number listed below:

DiamondRock Hospitality Company
6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20817
Attention: Investor Relations
(240) 744-1150

          Readers should rely on the information provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Readers should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of the document.

 

Prospectus

 

 

 

Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares and Warrants

 

Under this prospectus, we may offer, from time to time, in one or more series or classes, the following securities:

 

 

We refer to our common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares and warrants collectively as the “securities.”

 

We may offer the securities separately or together, in separate series or classes and in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement also will contain information, where applicable, about U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to, and any listing on a securities exchange of, the securities covered by the prospectus supplement.

 

We may offer the securities directly to investors, through agents designated from time to time by them or us, or to or through underwriters or dealers. For more detailed information, see “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 33. No securities may be sold without delivery of a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of those securities.

 

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “DRH.”

 

 

 

 

You should read this entire prospectus, the documents that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in any of these securities.

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 1 for risks relating to an investment in our securities.

 

 

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

This prospectus is dated August 12, 2009

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

You should rely only on the information provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of these securities is not permitted. You should not assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

References in this prospectus to “we,” “our,” “us” and “our company” refer to DiamondRock Hospitality Company, including, as the context requires, DiamondRock Hospitality Limited Partnership, our operating partnership, as well as our other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including our existing taxable REIT subsidiaries.

 

OUR COMPANY

 

We are a lodging focused real estate company. We are committed to maximizing stockholder value through investing in premium full-service hotels and, to a lesser extent, premium urban select-service hotels located throughout the United States. We believe we have been organized and have operated in a manner that allows us to qualify for taxation as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2005.

 

Our Structure

 

We were formed as a Maryland corporation in May 2004. We conduct our business through a traditional umbrella partnership REIT, or UPREIT, in which our hotel properties are owned by DiamondRock Hospitality Limited Partnership, our operating partnership, limited partnerships, limited liability companies or other subsidiaries of our operating partnership. We are the sole general partner of our operating partnership and currently own, either directly or indirectly, all of the limited partnership units of our operating partnership. In the future, we may issue limited partnership units to third parties from time to time in connection with acquisitions of hotel properties. In order for the income from our hotel property investments to constitute “rents from real properties” for purposes of the gross income tests required for REIT qualification, the income we earn cannot be derived from the operation of any of our hotels. Therefore, we lease each of our hotel properties to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bloodstone TRS, Inc., a taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS, except for the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, which is owned by a United States Virgin Islands corporation that we have elected to be treated as a TRS. As a result, we do not utilize a lease structure for that hotel. We refer to these subsidiaries of Bloodstone TRS, Inc. as our TRS lessees. We may form additional TRSs and TRS lessees in the future.

 

Our Principal Office

 

Our corporate headquarters is located at 6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20817. Our telephone number is (240) 744-1150. Our Internet address is http://www.drhc.com. The information found on or accessible through our website is not incorporated into and does not constitute a part of this prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC.

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC utilizing a “shelf” registration process. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the offered securities. Each time we sell any of the offered securities we will provide a prospectus supplement and attach it to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will contain specific information about the method and terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, together with any additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors in this prospectus and the risk factors incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the other information contained in this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and the risk factors and other information contained in the applicable prospectus supplement before acquiring any of such securities. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities. Please also refer to the section below entitled “Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

The market price of our common shares could be volatile and could decline, resulting in a substantial or complete loss on our common stockholders’ investment.

The market price of our common stock has been highly 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. 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 management’s attention and resources.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

We make statements in this prospectus that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. In particular, statements pertaining to our capital resources, portfolio performance and results of operations contain forward-looking statements. Likewise, all of our statements regarding anticipated market condition and demographics are forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “approximately,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate” or “anticipate” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans, market statistics or intentions.

 

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 that may be incorrect or imprecise and we may not be able to realize them. 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:

 

 

While forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. You should carefully consider this risk when you make an investment decision concerning our common stock. Except to the extent required by applicable law, we do not intend and disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement or the “Risk Factors” to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could impact our future results, performance or transactions, see the section above entitled “Risk Factors.”

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus used to offer specific securities, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions of additional properties as suitable opportunities arise, the repayment of outstanding indebtedness, capital expenditures, the expansion, redevelopment and/or improvement of properties in our portfolio, working capital and other general purposes. Pending application of cash proceeds, we may use the net proceeds to temporarily reduce borrowings under our revolving credit facility or we will invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing accounts and short-term, interest-bearing securities which are consistent with our intention to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Further details regarding the use of the net proceeds of a specific series or class of the securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED DIVIDENDS

 

The following table sets forth the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred dividends for the periods indicated below (in thousands).

 

 

The ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred dividends was computed by dividing earnings by combined fixed charges and preferred dividends. For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred dividends, earnings have been calculated by adding fixed charges to income (loss) before income taxes, plus amortization of capitalized interest, minus interest capitalized. Fixed charges consist of interest costs, whether expensed or capitalized, and amortization of financing costs. Combined fixed charges and preferred dividends consist of fixed charges and preferred dividends paid or accrued for each respective period. However, we have never issued any preferred stock, and therefore we had no preferred dividends during any such period.

 

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

The following summary of the terms of our capital stock 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 have been previously filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

General

 

Our charter provides that we may issue up to 200,000,000 shares of common stock, $.01 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $.01 par value per share. A majority of our board of directors may, without any action by the stockholders, amend our charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue. Under Maryland law, stockholders generally are not liable for the corporation’s debts or obligations. As of August 10, 2009, there were 110,348,122 shares of common stock outstanding and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

 

Power to Issue Additional Shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock

 

We believe that the power of our board of directors to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock and thereafter to cause us to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs of our company that might arise. The additional classes or series, as well as the common stock, will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless such action 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 has no intention at the present time of doing so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series of common stock or preferred stock that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interests.

 

Restrictions on Ownership of Our Capital Stock

 

To assist us in complying with certain federal requirements applicable to REITs, among other purposes, we have adopted certain restrictions related to the ownership and transfer of our stock. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” These ownership limitations could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for the shares of our stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.

 

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

 

The shares of our common stock currently outstanding are listed for trading on the NYSE. We intend to apply to the NYSE to list the additional shares of common stock to be sold pursuant to any prospectus supplement, and we anticipate that such shares will be so listed.

 

The following description of our common stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our common stock to which any prospectus supplement may relate, including a prospectus supplement providing that common stock will be issuable upon conversion or exchange of our preferred stock or upon the exercise of warrants to purchase our common stock. The statements below describing our common stock are in all respects subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of our charter and bylaws and the Maryland General Corporate Law, or MGCL.

 

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 and declared by us out of assets legally available therefor 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 of our known debts and liabilities.

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 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 generally 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, which means they do not have the right to acquire any additional securities that we may issue at a subsequent date. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of stock and to the power of our board of directors to create common stock with differing voting rights, shares of our common stock will have equal dividend, liquidation and other rights. Holders of shares of our common stock listed on a national securities exchange or any automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded will not have appraisal rights.

 

Our charter authorizes our board of directors to reclassify any unissued shares of common stock into other classes or series of classes of stock and to establish the number of shares in each class or series and to set the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption for each such class or series.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar of our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

 

The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the preferred stock to which any prospectus supplement may relate. This description and the description contained in any prospectus supplement are not complete and are in all respects subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to our charter, the applicable articles supplementary that describe the terms of the related class or series of preferred stock and our bylaws, copies of which have been previously filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock from time to time, in one or more classes or series. Our charter authorizes our board of directors to classify any unissued shares of preferred stock and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of any class or series, as authorized by our board of directors. Prior to the issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by the MGCL and our charter to set, subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of stock, the terms, 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. Thus, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a class or series of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interests. In addition, our board of directors may afford the holders of any class or series of preferred stock, powers and rights, voting or otherwise, senior to the rights of holders of shares of our common stock.

 

The prospectus supplement relating to the class or series of preferred stock being offered thereby will describe the specific terms of such securities, including:

 

 

 

Additionally, the prospectus supplement relating to the class or series of preferred stock being offered thereby will describe any listing of such preferred stock on any securities exchange and will provide a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to such preferred stock.

 

Rank

 

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular class or series of preferred stock, the preferred stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, rank:

 

 

Voting Rights

 

Holders of our preferred stock generally will not have any voting rights, except as otherwise required by law from time to time or as indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Conversion Rights

 

The terms and conditions, if any, upon which shares of any class or series of preferred stock are convertible into our common stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating thereto. Such terms will include the number of shares of common stock into which the preferred stock is convertible, the conversion price (or manner of calculation thereof), the conversion period, provisions as to whether conversion will be at the option of the holders of the preferred stock or at our option, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price and provisions affecting conversion in the event of the redemption of such preferred stock.

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 stock. The applicable prospectus supplement will specify any additional ownership limitation relating to such class or series. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.”

 

Transfer Agent

 

The registrar and transfer agent for a particular series of preferred stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

This section outlines some of the provisions of the deposit agreement, the depositary shares and the depositary receipts. This information may not be complete in all respects and is qualified entirely by reference to the relevant deposit agreement and depositary receipts with respect to the depositary shares relating to any particular series of preferred stock. The specific terms of any series of depositary shares will be described in the prospectus supplement. If so described in the prospectus supplement, the terms of that series of depositary shares may differ from the general description of terms presented below.

 

General

 

We may, at our option, elect to offer depositary shares rather than full shares of preferred stock. Each depositary share will represent a fractional interest of a share of a particular series of preferred stock, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Shares of preferred stock of each series represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement (each, a “deposit agreement”) among us, the depositary named therein and the holders from time to time of the depositary receipts. Subject to the terms of the applicable deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary receipt will be entitled, in proportion to the fractional interest of a share of a particular series of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipt, to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares (including dividend, voting, conversion, redemption and liquidation rights).

 

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the applicable deposit agreement. Immediately following the issuance and delivery of the preferred stock by us to a preferred stock depositary, we will cause such preferred stock depositary to issue, on our behalf, the depositary receipts. Copies of the applicable form of deposit agreement and depositary receipt may be obtained from us upon request, and the statements made hereunder relating to the deposit agreement and the depositary receipts to be issued thereunder are summaries of certain anticipated provisions thereof and do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the applicable deposit agreement and related depositary receipts.

 

Deposit Agreement

 

The shares of the preferred stock underlying any depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company acting as depositary with respect to the those shares of preferred stock. The depositary will have its principal office in the United States and have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. The prospectus supplement relating to a series of depositary shares will specify the name and address of the depositary. Under the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion of its fractional interest in a share of the preferred stock underlying that depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of that preferred stock, including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, exchange and liquidation rights.

 

Depositary shares will be evidenced by one or more depositary receipts issued under the deposit agreement.

Dividends and Other Distributions

 

The preferred stock depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received in respect of the preferred stock to the record holders of depositary receipts evidencing the related depositary shares in proportion to the number of such depositary receipts owned by such holders, subject to certain obligations of holders to file proofs, certificates and other information and to pay certain charges and expenses to the preferred stock depositary.

 

In the event of a distribution other than in cash, the preferred stock depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary receipts entitled thereto, subject to certain obligations of holders to file proofs, certificates and other information and to pay certain charges and expenses to the preferred stock depositary, unless the preferred stock depositary determines that it is not feasible to make such distribution, in which case the preferred stock depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to such holders.

 

No distribution will be made in respect of any depositary share to the extent that it represents any preferred stock which has been converted into or exchanged for other securities before the record date for such distribution.

 

Withdrawal of Stock

 

Upon surrender of the depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the applicable preferred stock depositary (unless the related depositary shares have previously been called for redemption or converted into other securities), the holders thereof will be entitled to delivery at such office, to or upon such holder’s order, of the number of whole or fractional shares of the preferred stock and any money or other property represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipts. Holders of depositary receipts will be entitled to receive whole or fractional shares of the related preferred stock on the basis of the proportion of preferred stock represented by each depositary share as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, but holders of such shares of preferred stock will not thereafter be entitled to receive depositary shares therefor. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the preferred stock depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing such excess number of depositary shares.

 

Redemption

 

Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the preferred stock depositary, the preferred stock depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing shares of the preferred stock so redeemed, provided we shall have paid in full to the preferred stock depositary the redemption price of the preferred stock to be redeemed plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the corresponding proportion of the redemption price and any other amounts per share payable with respect to the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional depositary shares) or by any other equitable method determined by us that will not result in a violation of the ownership restrictions in our charter applicable to owners of our capital stock. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.”

 

From and after the date fixed for redemption, all dividends in respect of the shares of preferred stock so called for redemption will cease to accrue, the depositary shares so called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of the depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares so called for redemption will cease, except the right to receive any moneys payable upon such redemption and any money or other property to which the holders of such depositary receipts were entitled upon such redemption and surrender thereof to the preferred stock depositary.

 

Liquidation Preference

 

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of each depositary receipt will be entitled to the fraction of the liquidation preference accorded each share of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipt, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Voting Rights

 

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the applicable preferred stock are entitled to vote, the preferred stock depositary will mail the information contained in such notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares which represent such preferred stock. Each record holder of depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock) will be entitled to instruct the preferred stock depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The preferred stock depositary will vote the amount of preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will agree to take all reasonable action which may be deemed necessary by the preferred stock depositary in order to enable the preferred stock depositary to do so. The preferred stock depositary will abstain from voting the amount of preferred stock represented by such depositary shares to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary receipts evidencing such depositary shares. The preferred stock depositary will not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote, or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is in good faith and does not result from negligence or willful misconduct of the preferred stock depositary.

 

Conversion Rights

 

The depositary shares, as such, are not convertible into our common stock or any of our other securities or property. Nevertheless, if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to an offering of depositary shares, the depositary receipts may be surrendered by holders thereof to the preferred stock depositary with written instructions to the preferred stock depositary to instruct us to cause conversion of the preferred stock represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipts into whole shares of common stock, other shares of our preferred stock or other shares of stock, and we have agreed that upon receipt of such instructions and any amounts payable in respect thereof, we will cause the conversion thereof utilizing the same procedures as those provided for delivery of preferred stock to effect such conversion. If the depositary shares evidenced by a depositary receipt are to be converted in part only, a new depositary receipt or receipts will be issued for any depositary shares not to be converted. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued upon conversion, and if such conversion would result in a fractional share being issued, an amount will be paid in cash by us equal to the value of the fractional interest based upon the closing price of the common stock on the last business day prior to the conversion.

 

Amendment and Termination of Deposit Agreement

 

The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares which represent the preferred stock and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the preferred stock depositary. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary receipts or that would be materially and adversely inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the related preferred stock will not be effective unless such amendment has been approved by the existing holders of a majority of the applicable depositary shares evidenced by the applicable depositary receipts then outstanding. No amendment shall impair the right, subject to certain exceptions in the deposit agreement, of any holder of depositary receipts to surrender any depositary receipt with instructions to deliver to the holder the related preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with law. Every holder of an outstanding depositary receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such depositary receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by the deposit agreement as amended thereby.

 

The deposit agreement may be terminated by us upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice to the preferred stock depositary if (i) such termination is necessary to preserve our status as a REIT or (ii) a majority of the holders of each series of preferred stock affected by such termination consent to such termination, whereupon the preferred stock depositary will deliver or make available to each holder of depositary receipts, upon surrender of the depositary receipts held by such holder, such number of whole or fractional shares of preferred stock as are represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipts together with any other property held by the preferred stock depositary with respect to such depositary receipts. In addition, the deposit agreement will automatically terminate if (i) all outstanding depositary shares thereunder shall have been redeemed, (ii) there shall

have been a final distribution in respect of the related preferred stock in connection with our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and such distribution shall have been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares representing such preferred stock or (iii) each share of the related preferred stock shall have been converted into our securities not so represented by depositary shares.

 

Charges of Preferred Stock Depositary

 

We will pay the fees and expenses of the preferred stock depositary in connection with the performance of its duties under the deposit agreement. Holders of depositary receipts will be required to pay any other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges expressly provided for in the deposit agreement.

 

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

 

The preferred stock depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the preferred stock depositary, any such resignation or removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor preferred stock depositary. A successor preferred stock depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

 

Miscellaneous

 

The preferred stock depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts any reports and communications that we send to the preferred stock depositary with respect to the related preferred stock.

 

Neither the preferred stock depositary nor our company will be liable if it is prevented from or delayed in, by law or any circumstances beyond its control, performing its obligations under the deposit agreement. The obligations of our company and the preferred stock depositary under the deposit agreement will be limited to performing their duties thereunder in good faith, and our company and the preferred stock depositary will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary receipts, depositary shares or shares of preferred stock represented thereby unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the preferred stock depositary may rely on written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting shares of preferred stock represented thereby for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed in good faith to be competent to give such information, and on documents believed in good faith to be genuine and signed by a proper party.

 

In the event the preferred stock depositary shall receive conflicting claims, requests or instructions from any holders of depositary receipts, on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, the preferred stock depositary shall be entitled to act on such claims, requests or instructions received from us.

 

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

We may issue warrants for the purchase of our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares representing preferred stock. We may issue warrants separately or together with any other securities offered by means of this prospectus, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement (each, a “warrant agreement”) to be entered into between us and a warrant agent specified therein. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following information, where applicable, regarding the warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

 

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER

 

The following summary with respect to restrictions on ownership and transfer of our capital stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our charter 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, including any articles supplementary relating to any issuance of preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus. A copy of our charter is filed with the SEC. Any amendment or supplement to our charter relating to an issuance of securities pursuant to this prospectus shall be filed with the SEC and shall be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the applicable prospectus supplement. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

In order for us to qualify for and maintain our status as a REIT under the Code, our shares of stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of twelve months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities such as qualified pension plans) during the last half of a taxable year.

 

In order for us to qualify as a REIT under the Code, our charter, subject to certain exceptions, contains restrictions on the number of shares of our capital stock that a person may beneficially own. Our charter provides that, subject to some exceptions, no person may beneficially own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our common stock or of the value of the aggregate outstanding shares of our capital stock (the “Ownership Limit”), except that certain “look through entities,” such as mutual funds, may beneficially own up to 15% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our common stock or of the value of the aggregate outstanding shares of our capital stock (the “Look-Through Ownership Limit”). Our board of directors has waived this ownership limitation for certain investors in the past. Our bylaws provide that our board of directors will exempt any person from the Ownership Limit and the Look-Through Ownership Limit, provided that:

 

 

 

Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this provision of our bylaws shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

Our charter also prohibits any person from (a) owning shares of our capital stock if such ownership would result in our being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code, (b) transferring shares of our capital stock if such transfer would result in our capital stock being owned by fewer than 100 persons, (c) owning shares of our capital stock if such ownership would cause any of our income that would otherwise qualify as rents from real property to fail to qualify as such, including as a result of any of our hotel management companies failing to qualify as “eligible independent contractors” under the REIT rules and (d) owning shares of our capital stock if such ownership would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial ownership of shares of our capital stock that will or may violate any of these restrictions on transferability and ownership will be required to give notice immediately to us and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our status as a REIT.

 

The board of directors may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the board of directors in its sole discretion, in order to determine or ensure our status as a REIT. The foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the company to attempt to qualify, or continue to qualify, as a REIT.

 

If any transfer of shares of our capital stock or other event occurs which, if effective, would result in any person beneficially or constructively owning shares of our capital stock in excess or in violation of the above transfer or ownership limitations (a “Prohibited Owner”), then that number of shares of our capital stock the beneficial or constructive ownership of which otherwise would cause such person to violate such limitations (rounded to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a trust (the “Trust”) for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries (the “Charitable Beneficiary”), and the Prohibited Owner shall not acquire any rights in such shares. Such automatic transfer shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day (as defined in our charter) prior to the date of such violative transfer. Shares of stock held in the Trust shall be issued and outstanding shares of our capital stock. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares of stock held in the Trust, shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares of stock held in the Trust. The trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”) shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to shares of stock held in the Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to the discovery by us that shares of stock have been transferred to the Trustee shall be paid by the recipient of such dividend or distribution to the Trustee upon demand, and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Trustee. Any dividend or distribution so paid to the Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares of stock held in the Trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that such shares of stock have been transferred to the Trust, the Trustee shall have the authority (at the Trustee’s sole discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by us that such shares have been transferred to the Trust and (ii) to recast such 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 shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote.

Within 20 days of receiving notice from us that shares of our capital stock have been transferred to the Trust, the Trustee shall sell the shares of stock held in the Trust to a person, designated by the Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in our charter. Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as follows. The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (i) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the Trust (e.g., a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price (as defined in the charter) of such shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Trust and (ii) the price per share received by the Trustee from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Trust. Any net sale proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be paid immediately to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by us that shares of stock have been transferred to the Trust, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (i) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Trust and (ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to the aforementioned requirement, such excess shall be paid to the Trustee upon demand.

 

In addition, shares of our capital stock held in the Trust shall 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 such transfer to the Trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the Market Price at the time of such devise or gift) and (ii) the Market Price on the date we, or our designee, accept such offer. We shall have the right to accept such offer until the Trustee has sold the shares of stock held in the Trust. Upon such a sale to us, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

 

In addition, until the completion of our initial public offering, at which time our common stock became “publicly-offered securities” for purposes of certain regulations promulgated under ERISA by the U.S. Department of Labor, or the Plan Assets Regulation, our charter limited equity participation by “benefit plan investors” to less than 25% in the aggregate so that such participation in any class of our equity securities by such “benefit plan investors” would not be deemed “significant.” For such purposes, the terms “benefit plan investors” and “significant” are determined by reference to the Plan Assets Regulation. We believe that, under the Plan Assets Regulation, our common stock should be considered “publicly-offered securities” after our initial public offering and therefore this 25% limitation is no longer applicable to our common stock. However, “benefit plan investors” are prohibited from owning any class of our capital stock that does not qualify as “publicly-offered securities.”

 

All certificates representing shares of common stock and preferred stock, if any, will bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.

 

Each stockholder shall provide to us 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.

 

These ownership limits could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of our company that might involve a premium price for the common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

 

BOOK-ENTRY SECURITIES

 

We may issue the securities offered by means of this prospectus in whole or in part in book-entry form, meaning that beneficial owners of the securities will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the securities, except in the event the book-entry system for the securities is discontinued. If securities are issued in book-entry form, they will be evidenced by one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the securities. Unless otherwise mentioned in the prospectus supplement, the Depository Trust Company will serve as depository. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual securities represented thereby, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depository for the global security to a nominee of such depository or by a nominee of such depository to such depository or another nominee of such depository or by the depository or any

nominee of such depository to a successor depository or a nominee of such successor. Global securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or permanent form. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to a class or series of securities that differ from the terms described here will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we anticipate that the following provisions will apply to depository arrangements.

 

Upon the issuance of a global security, the depository for the global security or its nominee will credit on its book-entry registration and transfer system the respective principal amounts of the individual securities represented by such global security to the accounts of persons that have accounts with such depository, who are called “participants.” Such accounts shall be designated by the underwriters, dealers or agents with respect to the securities or by us if the securities are offered and sold directly by us. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to the depository’s participants or persons that may hold interests through such participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the applicable depository or its nominee (with respect to beneficial interests of participants) and records of the participants (with respect to beneficial interests of persons who hold through participants). The laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and laws may impair the ability to own, pledge or transfer beneficial interest in a global security.

 

So long as the depository for a global security or its nominee is the registered owner of such global security, such depository or nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by such global security for all purposes under the applicable instrument defining the rights of a holder of the securities. Except as provided below or in the applicable prospectus supplement, owners of beneficial interest in a global security will not be entitled to have any of the individual securities of the series represented by such global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of any such securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the applicable instrument defining the rights of the holders of the securities.

 

Payments of amounts payable with respect to individual securities represented by a global security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee will be made to the depository or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the global security representing such securities. None of us, our officers and directors or any trustee, paying agent or security registrar for an individual series of securities will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global security for such securities or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

 

We expect that the depository for a series of securities offered by means of this prospectus or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest, dividend or other amount in respect of a permanent global security representing any of such securities, will immediately credit its participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of such global security for such securities as shown on the records of such depository or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such global security held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the account of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name.” Such payments will be the responsibility of such participants.

 

If a depository for a series of securities is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue individual securities of such series in exchange for the global security representing such series of securities. In addition, we may, at any time and in our sole discretion, subject to any limitations described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such securities, determine not to have any securities of such series represented by one or more global securities and, in such event, will issue individual securities of such series in exchange for the global security or securities representing such series of securities.

 

DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN MATERIAL PROVISIONS
OF MARYLAND LAW, OUR CHARTER AND OUR BYLAWS

 

The following is a summary of certain provisions of our charter and bylaws and Maryland law, 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 have been previously filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

Number, Election and Removal of Directors

 

Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of directors may be set only by our board of directors, but may never be less than the minimum number required by the MGCL. Our bylaws provide that a plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a director.

 

We have elected to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL regarding the filling of vacancies on the board of directors. Accordingly, except as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any and all vacancies on the board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualified.

 

The charter provides that a director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors.

 

Charter Amendments and Extraordinary Corporate Actions

 

Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast 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 corporation’s charter. Our charter generally provides that, if such amendment or action is declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by at least 75% of the continuing directors (as defined in the charter), such amendment or action may be approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. If such amendment or action is declared advisable by the board of directors, but does not receive the continuing director approval referred to above, such amendment or action must be approved by stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

Amendment of Bylaws

 

Our bylaws provide that, with the exception of provisions in our bylaws relating to the business combination and control share provisions of the MGCL and the waiver of the ownership limitations set forth in our charter, which provisions may not be amended without stockholder approval, our board of directors has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of the bylaws and to make new bylaws.

 

Business Combinations

 

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and any person who beneficially owns ten percent or more of the voting power of the corporation’s shares or 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 (an “Interested Stockholder”) or an affiliate of such an Interested Stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which such Interested Stockholder becomes an Interested Stockholder. Thereafter, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least (a) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation and (b) 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, unless, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the Interested Stockholder for its shares. These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by the board of directors of the corporation prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder becomes an Interested Stockholder. 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 with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

 

Our board of directors has adopted a resolution opting out of the business combination provisions of the MGCL. This resolution provides that any alteration or repeal of the resolution by the board of directors shall be valid only if approved, at a meeting duly called, by the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote generally for directors and the affirmative vote of a majority of continuing directors. Our bylaws provide that any such alteration or repeal of the resolution will be valid only if approved, at a meeting duly called, by the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote generally for directors and the affirmative vote of a majority of continuing directors. If this resolution is repealed, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

 

Control Share Acquisitions

 

The MGCL provides that “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” have no voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock owned by the acquiror, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation. “Control Shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power: (i) one-tenth or more but less than one-third, (ii) one-third or more but less than a majority, or (iii) a majority or more of all voting power. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

 

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses), 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 shares. 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, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value 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 acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror 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 such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

 

The control share acquisition statute does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) 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 capital stock. Our board of directors has the exclusive power to amend, alter or repeal this provision of our bylaws. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.

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 the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions:

 

 

Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (a) require a two-thirds vote for the removal of any director from the board and (b) vest in the board the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships. Additionally, our charter provides, under Section 3-802(b) of the MGCL, that, except as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, any and all vacancies on the board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which such vacancy occurred.

 

Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

 

Our bylaws provide that (a) with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the board of directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by the board of directors or (iii) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and has complied with the advance notice procedures set forth in the bylaws and (b) with respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of meeting may be brought before the meeting of stockholders and nominations of persons for election to the board of directors may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by the board of directors or (iii) provided that the board of directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in the bylaws.

 

Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of the Charter and Bylaws

 

If the applicable board resolution is repealed, the business combination provisions and, if the applicable provision in the bylaws is rescinded, the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL, the provisions of the charter relating to removal of directors and the advance notice provisions of the bylaws, among others, could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interests.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF
DIAMONDROCK HOSPITALITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

 

The following is a summary of the material terms of the agreement of limited partnership of our operating partnership, which we refer to as the Partnership Agreement. This summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Partnership Agreement, a copy of which we have previously filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.” Because, and so long as, we own all of the partnership interests in our operating partnership, we will be able to amend the Partnership Agreement of our operating partnership and we may, from time to time, modify the agreement so that it varies from the description set forth herein.

 

Management of the Operating Partnership

 

DiamondRock Hospitality Limited Partnership is a Delaware limited partnership that was formed on May 26, 2004. As sole general partner of the operating partnership, we exercise exclusive and complete responsibility and discretion in our operating partnership’s day-to-day management and control. We can cause our operating partnership to enter into certain major transactions including acquisitions, developments and dispositions of properties and refinancings of existing indebtedness. Currently, our wholly-owned subsidiary, DiamondRock Hospitality, LLC is the only limited partner of our operating partnership. Generally, limited partners 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. Certain restrictions under the Partnership Agreement restrict our ability to engage in a business combination as more fully described in “— Extraordinary Transactions” below.

 

In the event of any conflict in the duties owed by us to our stockholders under applicable law and the fiduciary duties owed by us, as general partner of our operating partnership, to the limited partners, we may act in the best interests of our stockholders without violating our fiduciary duties to the limited partners or being liable for any resulting breach of our duties to the limited partners.

 

The Partnership Agreement provides that our operating partnership is empowered to do any and all acts and things for the furtherance and accomplishment of our business, including all activities pertaining to the acquisition and operation of our properties, provided that our operating partnership shall not take, and will refrain from taking, any action which, in our judgment could adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT.

 

Removal of the General Partners; Transfer of the General Partner’s Interest

 

The Partnership Agreement provides that the limited partners may not remove us as general partner of the operating partnership. We may not transfer any of our interests as a general or limited partner in the operating partnership except (i) in connection with certain extraordinary transactions as described below; (ii) if the limited partners holding more than 50% of the units held by limited partners (other than limited partnership units held by us) consent to such transfer; or (iii) to certain of our affiliates.

 

Amendments of the Partnership Agreement

 

Amendments to the Partnership Agreement may only be proposed by us as general partner. Generally, the Partnership Agreement may be amended with our approval and the approval of the limited partners holding a majority of all outstanding limited partner units (including limited partner units held by us). Certain amendments that would, among other things, convert a limited partner’s interest into a general partner’s interest, modify the limited liability of a limited partner in a manner adverse to such limited partner, alter the rights of a partner to receive distributions or allocations, alter or modify the redemption right of a partner in a manner adverse to such partner, or cause the termination of the partnership prior to the time set forth in the Partnership Agreement must be approved by each partner that would be adversely affected by such amendment.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we will have the power, without the consent of the limited partners, to amend the Partnership Agreement as may be required to:

 

 

 

Certain provisions affecting our rights and duties as general partner (e.g., restrictions relating to certain extraordinary transactions involving us or the operating partnership) may not be amended without the approval of a majority of the limited partnership units (excluding limited partnership units held by us).

 

Redemption Rights

 

Under the current partnership agreement, limited partners have the right, commencing on or after the first anniversary of the issuance of the units to the limited partners, to require our operating partnership to redeem all or a portion of their units for cash or, at our option, shares of common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment in the event of stock splits, stock dividends, issuance of stock rights, specified extraordinary distributions and similar events. The cash redemption amount per unit is based on the market price of our common stock at the time of redemption. We presently anticipate that we would elect to issue shares of our common stock in exchange for units in connection with each redemption request, rather than having our operating partnership redeem the units for cash. With each redemption or exchange, we would increase our percentage ownership interest in our operating partnership. Limited partners who hold units may exercise this redemption right from time to time, in whole or in part, subject to certain limitations, unless delivery of shares of common stock to a limited partner pursuant to the redemption right would be prohibited by our charter or prohibited by federal or state securities laws or regulations. At this time, no limited partnership units have been issued (other than to us), and that we may issue limited partnership units with rights, preferences and privileges different from those described in this paragraph or in this registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

Issuance of Additional Units, Common Stock or Convertible Securities

 

As sole general partner, we have the ability to cause our operating partnership to issue additional partnership units to the partners (including to us). These additional units may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any of such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties as we may determine in our sole and absolute discretion. In addition, we may issue additional shares of our common stock or rights, options, warrants or convertible or exchangeable securities, but only if it causes our operating partnership to issue, to us, partnership units or rights, options, warrants or convertible or exchangeable securities of the operating partnership having designations, preferences and other rights, so that the economic interests of the operating partnership’s units issued are substantially similar to the securities that we have issued. Unless expressly granted by the operating partnership, no limited partner will have preemptive, preferential or similar rights with respect to additional capital contributions to the operating partnership or the issuance or sale of any partnership units.

 

Tax Matters

 

As the general partner, we are the tax matters partner of our operating partnership and, as such, have authority to make tax elections under the Code on behalf of our operating partnership.

Extraordinary Transactions

 

The Partnership Agreement provides that we may not generally engage in any merger, consolidation, or other combination with any other person or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or any reclassification, recapitalization or change of outstanding shares of our common stock or adopt a plan of liquidation and dissolution (an “extraordinary transaction”) unless the holders of units will receive, or have the opportunity to receive, at least the same consideration per unit as holders of our common stock receive per share of common stock in the transaction. If holders of units will not be treated in this manner in connection with a proposed extraordinary transaction, we cannot engage in such a transaction unless limited partners (other than us) holding more than 50% of the units held by limited partners vote to approve the extraordinary transaction.

 

We may also engage in an extraordinary transaction without the consent or approval of the limited partners if we engage in a merger, or other combination of assets with another entity and:

 

 

Term

 

The operating partnership will continue in full force and effect until 2104, or until sooner dissolved in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement or as otherwise provided by law.

 

Exculpation and Indemnification of the General Partner

 

The Partnership Agreement generally provides that we will incur no liability to the operating partnership or any limited partner for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of errors in judgment or mistakes of fact or law or of any act or omission unless we acted in bad faith and the act or omission was material to the matter giving rise to the loss or liability. In addition, we are not responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of our agents, provided we appointed our agents in good faith. We may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisors, and any action we may take or omit to take in reliance upon the opinion of such persons, as to matters that we reasonably believe to be within such persons’ professional or expert competence, shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such opinion. The Partnership Agreement also provides for indemnification of us, our directors and officers, limited partners and such other persons as we may from time to time designate against any losses, claims, damages, judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by such person in connection with the preceding unless it is established that:

 

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES

 

The following is a discussion of our investment policies. These policies may be amended or revised from time to time at the discretion of our board of directors, without a vote of our stockholders. Any change to any of these policies by our board, however, would be made only after a thorough review and analysis of that change, in light of then-existing business and other circumstances, and then only if, in the exercise of its business judgment, our board of directors believes that a change is in our and our stockholders’ best interests. We cannot assure you that our investment objectives will be attained.

 

Investments in Real Estate or Interests in Real Estate

 

We are a lodging-focused real estate company that owns premium hotels and resorts, located throughout the United States. We conduct our business through a traditional umbrella partnership REIT, or UPREIT, in which our hotels are owned by subsidiaries of our operating partnership. We are the sole general partner of our operating partnership and currently own, either directly or indirectly, all of the limited partnership units of our operating partnership. We seek to invest in assets primarily for current income generation; however, during the current recession, our corporate goals and objectives are focused on preserving and enhancing our liquidity. In general, our primary investment objectives are to:

 

 

There are no limitations on the amount or percentage of our total assets that may be invested in any one hotel property. Additionally, no limits have been set on the concentration of investments in any one location or by brand, type of market or other limits. Furthermore, other than the financial covenants under our corporate credit facility or property-level debt, there are no limitations on the number of mortgages that may be placed on any one piece of property.

 

Additional criteria with respect to our hotel property investments is described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 under the caption “Our Business.”

 

Investments in Real Estate Mortgages, Structured Financings and Other Lending Policies

 

We have no current intention of investing in loans secured by properties or making loans to persons. However, we do not have a policy limiting our ability to invest in loans secured by properties or to make loans to other persons. In the future, we may acquire first mortgages on hotel properties and invest in other mortgage-related instruments such as subordinated or mezzanine loans to hotel owners and operators. In addition, we may invest in hotel properties and lease them back to their existing owners. We may also consider offering purchase money financing in connection with the sale of properties where the provision of that financing will increase the value to be received by us for the property sold. We may make loans to joint ventures in which we may participate in the future. However, we do not intend to engage in significant lending activities. Any such lending or financing activities would be subject to restrictions applicable to REITs.

 

Investments in Securities of or Interests in Persons Primarily Engaged in Real Estate Activities and Other Issuers

 

Generally, we do not expect to engage in any significant investment activities with other entities, although we may consider joint venture investments with other investors. We may also invest in the securities of other issuers in connection with acquisitions of indirect interests in hotel properties (normally general or limited partnership units in special purpose partnerships owning properties). We may in the future acquire some, all or substantially all of the securities or assets of other REITs or similar entities where that investment would be consistent with our investment

policies and the REIT qualification requirements. There are no limitations on the amount or percentage of our total assets that may be invested in any one issuer, other than those imposed by the gross income and asset tests that we must satisfy to qualify as a REIT. However, we do not anticipate investing in other issuers of securities for the purpose of exercising control or acquiring any investments primarily for sale in the ordinary course of business or holding any investments with a view to making short-term profits from their sale. In any event, we do not intend that our investments in securities will require us to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and we intend to divest securities before any registration would be required.

 

We do not intend to engage in trading, underwriting, agency distribution or sales of securities of other issuers.

 

FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO OUR REIT ELECTION

 

The following summary outlines certain U.S. federal income tax considerations related to our REIT status which we anticipate to be material to holders of our securities. This summary does not attempt to address any aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to your ownership of our securities. Instead, the material federal income tax considerations relating to your ownership and sale or other disposition of our securities will be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement that relates to those securities. Your tax treatment will vary depending upon the terms of the specific securities that you acquire, as well as your particular situation. Moreover, this summary does not address any foreign, state, or local tax consequences of our election to be taxed as a REIT. The provisions of the Code concerning the federal income tax treatment of a REIT are highly technical and complex; the following discussion sets forth only certain aspects of those provisions. This summary is intended to provide you with general information only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.

 

This summary is based on provisions of the Code, applicable final and temporary Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative rulings and practice, all in effect as of the date of this prospectus, and should not be construed as legal advice. No assurance can be given that future legislative or administrative changes or judicial decisions will not affect the accuracy of the descriptions or conclusions contained in this summary. In addition, any such changes may be retroactive and apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment, promulgation or release. We do not expect to seek a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, regarding any of the federal income tax issues discussed in this prospectus, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge any of the positions we take and that such a challenge will not succeed. Prospective purchasers of our securities are urged to consult their own tax advisors prior to any investment in our securities concerning the potential federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of the investment with specific reference to their own tax situations. Prospective purchasers also are urged to refer to the applicable prospectus supplement for any amendments or changes to this summary.

 

Except as otherwise noted, references in this discussion of “Federal Income Tax Considerations Related to Our REIT Election” to “we,” “our,” “us” and “our company” refer to DiamondRock Hospitality Company and not our taxable REIT subsidiaries.

 

Taxation of Our Company

 

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT starting with the calendar year ended December 31, 2005 and for subsequent taxable years. We decided to be taxed as a C corporation for 2004 and defer the REIT election until 2005. Beginning January 1, 2005, we believe we have qualified as a REIT, and except as otherwise noted, the following discussion assumes that we qualify as a REIT effective January 1, 2005.

 

In connection with this filing, we will receive an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP that, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2005, we have been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code and our current and proposed ownership and operations will allow us to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for subsequent taxable years. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP will be based on various assumptions and on our representations to Goodwin Procter LLP concerning our current and continuing organization, our prior, current and proposed ownership and operations, and our stockholders’ current and future relationships with our hotel management companies, and other matters relating to our ability to qualify as a REIT. The opinion will be expressly conditioned upon the accuracy of such assumptions and representations, which Goodwin Procter LLP will not verify. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT will depend upon our ability to meet, through actual annual operating results, distribution levels, diversity of stock ownership and the absence of prohibited relationships with our hotel management companies, the various and complex REIT qualification tests imposed under the Code, the results of which will not be reviewed or verified by Goodwin Procter LLP. See “— Qualification as a REIT” below. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we will in fact satisfy such requirements. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP will be based upon current law, which is subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Changes in applicable law could modify the conclusions expressed in the opinion. Moreover, unlike a ruling from the IRS, an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is not binding on the IRS, and no assurance can be given that the IRS could not successfully challenge our status as a REIT.

If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will be allowed to deduct dividends paid to our stockholders, and, as a result, we generally will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of our ordinary income or net capital gain that we currently distribute to our stockholders. We expect to make distributions to our stockholders on a regular basis as necessary to avoid material federal income tax and to comply with the REIT requirements. See “— Qualification as a REIT — Annual Distribution Requirements” below.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we nonetheless may be subject to federal income tax in certain circumstances, including the following:

 

 

No assurance can be given that the amount of any such federal income taxes will not be substantial. We note that the assets we acquired during 2004 were acquired on or after October 27, 2004, and we do not believe the built-in gain in such assets as of January 1, 2005 was material. Accordingly, we do not expect to be subject to significant corporate tax liabilities if we decide to sell an asset we acquired in 2004 within the 10-year period following the effective date of our REIT election.

 

Qualification as a REIT

 

In General

 

The REIT provisions of the Code apply to a domestic corporation, trust, or association (i) that is managed by one or more trustees or directors, (ii) the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest, (iii) that properly elects to be taxed as a REIT, (iv) that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company, (v) that uses a calendar year for federal income tax purposes and complies with applicable recordkeeping requirements, and (vi) that meets the additional requirements discussed below.

 

Ownership Tests

 

Commencing with our second REIT taxable year, which was the calendar year ended December 31, 2006, (i) the beneficial ownership of our common stock must be held by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a 12-month taxable year (or during a proportionate part of the taxable year of less than 12 months) for each of our taxable years and (ii) during the last half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals (the “5/50 Test”). Stock ownership for purposes for the 5/50 Test is determined by applying the constructive ownership provisions of Section 544(a) of the Code, subject to certain modifications. The term “individual” for purposes of the 5/50 Test includes a private foundation, a trust providing for the payment of supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, and a portion of a trust permanently set aside or to be used exclusively for charitable purposes. A qualified trust described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code generally is not treated as an individual; rather, shares held by it are treated as owned proportionately by its beneficiaries. However, if (i) treating qualified trusts as individuals would cause us to fail the 5/50 Test and (ii) we are “predominantly held” by qualified trusts, we will be treated as a “pension-held REIT.” We will be “predominantly held” by qualified trusts if either (i) a single qualified trust holds more than 25% by value of our stock or (ii) one or more qualified trusts, each owning more than 10% by value of our stock, hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of our stock. In the event we are a pension held REIT, a qualified trust owning 10% or more of our shares should expect to recognize UBTI as a result of its investment. We cannot assure you that we will never be treated as a pension held REIT. Before making an investment in shares of our common stock, a tax-exempt stockholder should consult its own tax advisors with regard to UBTI and the suitability of the investment in our stock.

 

We believe we have issued sufficient common stock to satisfy the above ownership requirements. In addition, our charter restricts ownership and transfers of our stock that would violate these requirements, although these restrictions may not be effective in all circumstances to prevent a violation. We will be deemed to have satisfied the 5/50 Test for a particular taxable year if we have complied with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding stock in that taxable year and have no reason to know that we have violated the 5/50 Test.

 

Income Tests

 

In order to maintain qualification as a REIT, we must annually satisfy two gross income requirements:

 

1) First, at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions and certain other income and gains as described below) for each taxable year must be derived, directly or indirectly, from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property or from certain types of temporary investments (or any combination thereof). Qualifying income for the purposes of this 75% gross income test generally includes: (a) rents from real property, (b) interest on debt secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, (c) dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other

REITs, (d) gain from the sale of real estate assets (other than gain from prohibited transactions), (e) income and gain derived from foreclosure property, and (f) income from certain types of temporary investments; and

 

2) Second, in general, at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions and certain other income and gains as described below) for each taxable year must be derived from the real property investments described above and from other types of dividends and interest, gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities that are not dealer property, or any combination of the above.

 

For purposes of the 75% and the 95% gross income tests, we are treated as receiving our proportionate share of our operating partnership’s gross income.

 

If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or the 95% gross income tests, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for a particular year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. Those relief provisions generally will be available if our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we file a schedule describing each item of our gross income for such year(s) in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. As discussed above in “— Taxation of Our Company,” even if these relief provisions were to apply, we would be subject to federal income tax with respect to our excess net income.

 

Foreclosure property.  Foreclosure property is real property (including interests in real property) and any personal property incident to such real property (1) that is acquired by a REIT as a result of the REIT having bid in the property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there was a default (or default was imminent) on a lease of the property or a mortgage loan held by the REIT and secured by the property, (2) for which the related loan or lease was made, entered into or acquired by the REIT at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated and (3) for which such REIT makes an election to treat the property as foreclosure property. REITs generally are subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate (currently 35%) on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property, other than income that would otherwise be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Any gain from the sale of property for which a foreclosure property election has been made will not be subject to the 100% tax on gains from prohibited transactions described above, even if the property is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business.

 

Hedging transactions.  We may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including interest rate swaps or cap agreements, options, futures contracts, forward rate agreements or similar financial instruments. Except to the extent as may be provided by future Treasury Regulations, any income from a hedging transaction which is clearly identified as such before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated or entered into, including gain from the disposition or termination of such a transaction, will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 95% and 75% gross income tests, provided that the hedging transaction is entered into after July 30, 2008 (i) in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of interest rate or price changes or currency fluctuations with respect to indebtedness incurred or to be incurred by us to acquire or carry real estate assets or (ii) primarily to manage the risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the 75% or 95% income tests (or any property which generates such income or gain). To the extent we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests. Prior to July 30, 2008, the rules applicable to hedging transactions were more restrictive. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT.

 

Foreign Currency Gains.  In addition to the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, we may acquire other properties located outside of the United States in the future, through a taxable REIT subsidiary or otherwise. We do not have any foreign currency gains in connection with our investment in Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort. Any foreign currency gains recognized after July 30, 2008, to the extent attributable to specified assets or items of qualifying income or gain for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income test, generally will not constitute gross income for purposes of the applicable test, and therefore will be exempt from such test, provided we do not deal in or engage in substantial and regular trading in securities, which we do not intend to do.

Hotels

 

Operating revenues from our hotels are not qualifying income for purposes of either the 75% or the 95% gross income test. Accordingly, in order for us to generate qualifying income with respect to our hotel investments under the REIT rules, we must master-lease our hotels. Specifically, our operating partnership has formed a subsidiary, Bloodstone TRS, Inc., that has elected to be treated as our TRS and may, in the future, form other subsidiaries that elect to be treated as our TRSs. Bloodstone TRS, Inc. has formed subsidiaries (each a “TRS lessee”) that master-lease hotels from the operating partnership (or subsidiaries of the operating partnership). We expect to form additional TRS lessees (under Bloodstone TRS, Inc. or other of our TRSs) as we acquire additional properties. In certain instances we may own a hotel through a TRS. For example, we have elected to treat DiamondRock Frenchman’s Owner, Inc., through which we hold the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, as a TRS and we may hold other non-U.S. investments through TRSs. One or more hotel management companies will manage the hotels leased to each TRS lessee or owned by a TRS. We also may lease a hotel to an unrelated lessee.

 

In general, rent paid by a related party tenant, such as a TRS lessee, is not qualifying “rents from real property” for purposes of the REIT gross income tests, but rent paid by a TRS lessee to our operating partnership with respect to a lease of a “qualified lodging facility” from the operating partnership can be qualifying rents from real property under the REIT rules as long as such TRS lessee does not directly or indirectly operate or manage any hotel or provide rights to any brand name under which any hotel is operated. Instead, the hotel must be operated on behalf of the TRS lessee by a person who qualifies as an “eligible independent contractor,” defined as an “independent contractor” who is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for any person unrelated to us and the TRS lessee. See “— Investments in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries” below for a further discussion of the issue and a discussion of the definition of an “independent contractor” and the qualification of Marriott (or another hotel management company) as an “eligible independent contractor.” A “qualified lodging facility” is a hotel, motel, or other establishment more than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a transient basis, provided that wagering activities are not conducted at or in connection with such facility by any person who is engaged in the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized to engage in such business at or in connection with such facility. A “qualified lodging facility” includes customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or associated with, the lodging facility as long as such amenities and facilities are customary for other properties of a comparable size and class owned by other unrelated owners. We believe that our hotels are qualified lodging facilities. Rent paid by a TRS lessee that failed to qualify as rents from real property under the REIT rules would be non-qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests.

 

Two other limitations may affect our ability to treat rent paid by a TRS lessee or other lessee as qualifying rents from real property under the REIT rules. If the rent attributable to personal property leased by the TRS lessee (or other lessee) in connection with a lease of real property is greater than 15% of the total rent under the lease, then the portion of the rent attributable to such personal property will not qualify as rents from real property. Also, an amount received or accrued will not qualify as rents from real property for purposes of either the 75% or the 95% gross income test if it is based in whole or in part on the income or profits derived by any person from such property. However, an amount received or accrued will not be excluded from rents from real property solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. To comply with the limitation on rents attributable to personal property, a TRS lessee may acquire furnishings, equipment, and/or personal property used in hotel, at least to the extent that they exceed this 15% limit. To comply with the prohibition on rent based on net income, the leases will provide that each TRS lessee is obligated to pay our operating partnership a minimum base rent together with a gross percentage rent, at rates intended to equal market rental rates.

 

In addition, rent paid by a TRS lessee or other lessee that leases a hotel from our operating partnership will constitute rents from real property for purposes of the REIT gross income tests only if the lease is respected as a true lease for federal income tax purposes and is not treated as a service contract, joint venture, or some other type of arrangement. The determination of whether a lease is a true lease depends upon an analysis of all the surrounding facts and circumstances. We believe that the leases with our TRS lessees should be treated as true leases. However, that there are no controlling regulations, published administrative rulings, or judicial decisions involving leases with terms substantially similar to the leases between our operating partnership and the TRS lessees that discuss whether the leases constitute true leases for federal income tax purposes. Thus, there can be no assurance that the IRS will

not assert a contrary position and that a court will not sustain such a challenge. If any leases between our operating partnership and a TRS lessee are re-characterized as service contracts or partnership agreements, rather than as true leases, part or all of the payment that we receive from such TRS lessee would not be considered rent or would otherwise fail the various requirements for qualification as rents from real property.

 

Finally, for rents received by or attributed to us to qualify as rents from real property, we generally must not furnish or render any services to tenants, other than through a TRS or an independent contractor from whom we derive no income, except that we and our operating partnership may directly provide services that are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of properties for occupancy only, or are not otherwise considered rendered to the occupant “for his convenience.” Neither we nor our operating partnership provides, or intends to provide, any services to our TRSs, TRS lessees or any other tenants.

 

We believe that, for purposes of both the 75% and the 95% gross income tests, our operating partnership’s investments in hotels generally give rise to qualifying income in the form of rents from real property, and that gains on the sales of the hotels will also constitute qualifying income. However, no assurance can be given that either the rents or the gains will constitute qualifying income. In that case, we may not be able to satisfy either the 75% or the 95% gross income test and, as a result, could lose our REIT status.

 

We hold the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort through a Cayman Islands corporation that holds a U.S. Virgin Islands corporation that we have elected to be treated as our TRS. In the case of hotels owned, rather than leased, by a TRS, dividends paid by such TRS out of its earnings and gains from the sale of stock of such a TRS would not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, although such dividends and gains would be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test.

 

Asset Tests

 

At the close of each quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy four tests relating to the nature of our assets. First, real estate assets, cash and cash items, and government securities must represent at least 75% of the value of our total assets. Second, not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those in the 75% asset class. Third, of the investments that are not included in the 75% asset class and that are not securities of our TRS lessees or other TRSs, (i) the value of any one issuer’s securities owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets and (ii) we may not own more than 10% by vote or by value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities. For purposes of the 10% value test, debt instruments issued by a partnership are not classified as “securities” to the extent of our interest as a partner in such partnership (based on our proportionate share of the partnership’s equity interests and certain debt securities) or if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. For purposes of the 10% value test, the term “securities” also does not include debt securities issued by another REIT, certain “straight debt” securities (for example, qualifying debt securities of a corporation of which we own no more than a de minimis amount of equity interest), loans to individuals or estates, and accrued obligations to pay rent. Fourth, securities of our TRS lessees or other TRSs cannot represent more than 25% (20% for taxable years beginning before July 31, 2008) of our total assets. Although we believe that we have met and intend to continue to meet these asset tests, no assurance can be given that we will be able to do so. For purposes of these asset tests, we are treated as holding our proportionate share of our operating partnership’s assets.

 

We will monitor the status of our assets for purposes of the various asset tests and will endeavor to manage our portfolio in order to comply at all times with such tests. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT status if one of the following exceptions applies:

 

 

Moreover, if we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter during a taxable year, we will not lose our REIT status if one of the following additional exceptions applies:

 

 

Annual Distribution Requirements

 

In order to qualify as a REIT, we must distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to (A) the sum of (i) 90% of our “REIT taxable income” (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and by excluding any net capital gain) and (ii) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure property, minus (B) the sum of certain items of non-cash income. We generally must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and if paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. We may satisfy our distribution requirement in part by paying a taxable stock dividend.

 

To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain and REIT taxable income, we will be subject to tax on the undistributed amount at corporate capital gains and ordinary tax rates, respectively. Furthermore, if we should fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our ordinary income for such year, (ii) 95% of our capital gain net income for such year, and (iii) any undistributed ordinary income and capital gain net income from prior periods, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the amounts actually distributed.

 

Under certain circumstances, we may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our stockholders in a later year that 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; however, we will be required to pay interest based upon the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.

 

In addition, dividends we pay must not be preferential. If a dividend is preferential, it will not qualify for the dividends paid deduction. To avoid paying preferential dividends, we must treat every stockholder of the class of stock with respect to which we make a distribution the same as every other stockholder of that class, and we must not treat any class of stock other than according to its dividend rights as a class.

 

We may retain and pay income tax on net long-term capital gains we received during the tax year. To the extent we so elect, (i) each stockholder must include in its income (as long-term capital gains) its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gains, (ii) each stockholder’s basis in its shares of our stock is increased by the included amount of the undistributed long-term capital gains, and (iii) each stockholder is deemed to have paid, and receives a credit for, its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed long-term capital gains.

 

To qualify as a REIT, we may not have, at the end of any taxable year, any undistributed earnings and profits accumulated in any non-REIT taxable year. Our non-REIT earnings and profits include any earnings and profits we accumulated before the effective date of our REIT election, which was January 1, 2005. We distributed sufficient earnings and profits before December 31, 2005 to eliminate any non-REIT earnings and profits, which distributions were in addition to distributions we were required to make to satisfy the 90% distribution test (as discussed above) and avoid incurring tax on our undistributed income.

Failure to Qualify

 

If we fail to qualify as a REIT and such failure is not an asset test or income test failure, we generally will be eligible for a relief provision if the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 with respect to such failure.

 

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and no relief provisions apply, we generally will be subject to tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to our stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us nor will they be required to be made. In such event, to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to our stockholders will be taxable as dividend income. Subject to certain limitations in the Code, corporate stockholders may be eligible for the dividends received deduction, and individual, trust and estate stockholders may be eligible to treat the dividends received from us as qualified dividend income taxable as net capital gains, under the provisions of Section 1(h)(11) of the Code, through the end of 2010. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also will be ineligible to elect REIT status again prior to the fifth taxable year following the first year in which we failed to qualify as a REIT under the Code.

 

Our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes will depend on our continuing to meet the various requirements summarized above governing the ownership of our outstanding shares, the nature of our assets, the sources of our income, and the amount of our distributions to our stockholders. Although we intend to operate in a manner that will enable us to comply with such requirements, there can be no certainty that such intention will be realized. In addition, because the relevant laws may change, compliance with one or more of the REIT requirements may become impossible or impracticable for us.

 

Qualified REIT Subsidiaries and Disregarded Entities

 

If we own a corporate subsidiary that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary” (“QRS”), or if we or our operating partnership own 100% of the membership interests in a limited liability company or other unincorporated entity that does not elect to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, the separate existence of the QRS, limited liability company or other unincorporated entity generally will be disregarded for federal income tax purposes. Generally, a QRS is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the stock of which is owned by a REIT. A limited liability company or other unincorporated entity 100% owned by a single member that does not elect to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes generally is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner for federal income tax purposes. All assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the QRS or disregarded entity will be treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of its owner. If we own a QRS or a disregarded entity, neither will be subject to federal corporate income taxation, although such entities may be subject to state and local taxation in some states.

 

Taxation of the Operating Partnership

 

Our operating partnership currently is a disregarded entity because we own 100% of the interests in it, directly or through other disregarded entities. If we admit other limited partners, our operating partnership will be treated as a partnership for tax purposes, as described below.

 

Under the Code, a partnership is not subject to federal income tax, but is required to file a partnership tax information return each year. In general, the character of each partner’s share of each item of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, and tax preference is determined at the partnership level. Each partner is then allocated a distributive share of such items in accordance with the partnership agreement and is required to take such items into account in determining the partner’s income. Each partner includes such amount in income for any taxable year of the partnership ending within or with the taxable year of the partner, without regard to whether the partner has received or will receive any cash distributions from the partnership. Cash distributions, if any, from a partnership to a partner generally are not taxable unless and to the extent they exceed the partner’s basis in its partnership interest immediately before the distribution. Any amounts in excess of such tax basis will generally be treated as a sale of such partner’s interest in the partnership.

If and when our operating partnership becomes taxable as a partnership, rather than a disregarded entity, we generally will be treated for federal income tax purposes as contributing our properties to the operating partnership at such time. If our properties are appreciated at such time, we could recognize a smaller share of tax depreciation, and a larger share of tax gain on sale, from such properties subsequent to that deemed contribution, as compared to our percentage interest in the operating partnership. This deemed contribution also could trigger tax gain in some circumstances, but we expect to structure the admission of outside partners in a manner that should avoid any such gain.

 

As noted above, for purposes of the REIT income and asset tests, we are treated as holding or receiving our proportionate share of our operating partnership’s income and assets, respectively. We control, and intend to continue to control, our operating partnership and intend to operate it consistently with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT.

 

We may use our operating partnership to acquire hotels in exchange for operating partnership units, in order to permit the sellers of such properties to defer recognition of their tax gain. In such a transaction, our initial tax basis in the hotels acquired generally will be less than the purchase price of the hotels. Consequently, our depreciation deductions for such properties may be less, and our tax gain on a sale of such properties may be more, than the deductions or gain, respectively, that we would have if we acquired these properties in taxable transactions. In addition, we may issue equity compensation to employees in the form of interests in our operating partnership that provides for capital gain treatment to the employees but does not generate a corresponding deduction for our operating partnership.

 

The discussion above assumes that our operating partnership will be treated as a “partnership” for federal income tax purposes once it is no longer treated as a disregarded entity. Generally, a domestic unincorporated entity such as our operating partnership with two or more partners is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes unless it affirmatively elects to be treated as a corporation. However, certain “publicly traded partnerships” are treated as corporations for federal income tax purposes. Once our operating partnership is no longer a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes, we intend to comply with one or more exceptions from treatment as a corporation under the publicly traded partnership rules. Failure to qualify for such an exception would prevent us from qualifying as a REIT.

 

Investments in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries

 

We and each subsidiary intended to qualify as a TRS have made (or will make, as applicable) a joint election for such subsidiary to be treated as our taxable REIT subsidiary. A domestic TRS (or a foreign TRS with income from a U.S. business) pays federal, state, and local income taxes at the full applicable corporate rates on its taxable income prior to payment of any dividends. Thus, for example, Bloodstone TRS, Inc. generally will pay U.S. corporate tax on key money and yield support when it is paid, notwithstanding the treatment of key money and yield support payments for accounting purposes. A TRS owning or leasing a hotel outside of the U.S., such as DiamondRock Frenchman’s Owner, Inc., may pay foreign taxes. The taxes owed by our TRSs could be substantial. To the extent that our TRSs are required to pay federal, state, local, or foreign taxes, the cash available for distribution by us will be reduced accordingly.

 

A TRS is permitted to engage in certain kinds of activities that cannot be performed directly by us without jeopardizing our REIT status. A TRS is subject to limitations on the deductibility of payments made to us which could materially increase its taxable income and also is subject to prohibited transaction taxes on certain other payments made, directly or indirectly, to us. We will be subject to a 100% tax on the amounts of any rents from real property, deductions, or excess interest received from a TRS that would be reduced through reapportionment under Section 482 of the Code in order to more clearly reflect the income of the TRS. In particular, this 100% tax would apply to our share of any rent paid by a TRS lessee that was determined to be in excess of a market rate rent.

 

As discussed above in “— Qualification as a REIT — Income Tests,” Bloodstone TRS, Inc., through our TRS lessees, leases qualified lodging facilities from our operating partnership (or its affiliates) and a TRS may own hotels (such as DiamondRock Frenchman’s Owner, Inc. that owns Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort). However, a TRS may not directly or indirectly operate or manage any hotel or provide rights to any brand name under which any hotel is operated. Specifically, rents paid by a TRS lessee can qualify as rents from real

property only so long as the property is operated and managed on behalf of the TRS lessee by an “eligible independent contractor,” which is a person (or entity) that satisfies the following requirements: (i) such person is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of operating qualified lodging facilities for any person unrelated to us or the TRS lessee; (ii) such person does not own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of our stock; and (iii) not more than 35% of such person is owned, directly or indirectly, by one or more persons owning 35% or more of our stock. For purposes of determining whether these ownership limits are satisfied, actual ownership as well as constructive ownership under the rules of Section 318 of the Code (with certain modifications) is taken into account. For example, (a) interests owned by a partnership are also treated as owned proportionately by its partners, (b) interests held by a partner with a 25% or greater share of partnership capital interests or profits interests are also treated as owned by the partnership, (c) interests held by a 10% or greater stockholder are also treated as held by the corporation, and (d) interests held by a corporation are also treated as held by a 10% or greater stockholder (in the proportion that such stockholder’s stock bears to all the stock of the corporation). However, if any class of our stock or the stock of a person attempting to qualify as an eligible independent contractor is regularly traded on an established securities market, only persons who own, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of such class of stock shall be taken into account as owning any of the stock of such class for purposes of applying the 35% limitation described in clause (iii) above. In addition, the IRS has ruled to the effect that an advisor or similar fiduciary to a REIT cannot also qualify as an eligible independent contractor with respect to the REIT.

 

Each TRS lessee (and any other of our TRSs that owns an interest in our hotels) has hired (or will hire) a hotel management company that we believe qualifies as an eligible independent contractor to manage and operate the hotels leased by (or owned through) the TRS. We believe that Marriott has qualified, and Marriott intends to continue to qualify, as an eligible independent contractor. In that regard, constructive ownership under Section 318 of the Code resulting, for example, from relationships between Marriott and our other stockholder could impact Marriott’s ability to satisfy the applicable ownership limit. Because of the broad scope of the attribution rules of Section 318 of the Code, it is possible that not all prohibited relationships will be identified and avoided. The existence of such a relationship would disqualify Marriott (or another hotel management company) as an eligible independent contractor, which would in turn disqualify us as a REIT. Our charter restricts ownership and transfer of our shares in a manner intended to facilitate continuous qualification of Marriott (or another hotel management company) as an eligible independent contractor, but no assurances can be given that such transfer and ownership restrictions have or will ensure that Marriott (or another hotel management company), in fact, has been or will be an eligible independent contractor. As noted above, Goodwin Procter LLP’s opinion as to REIT qualification is based upon our representations and covenants as to the absence of such relationships. Marriott’s failure to qualify as an eligible independent contractor does not give us the right to terminate the management agreement.

 

State, Local, and Foreign Tax

 

We may be subject to state, local and foreign tax in states, localities and foreign countries in which we do business or own property. The tax treatment applicable to us and our stockholders in such jurisdictions may differ from the federal income tax treatment described above.

 

Stockholders should consult the applicable prospectus supplement, as well as their own tax advisers, for further information about federal, state, local, and other tax consequences of investing in the securities offered by the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities offered by means of this prospectus domestically or abroad, in one or more transactions, including block transactions and transactions on the NYSE or on a delayed or continuous basis:

 

 

In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution to our existing securities holders. The prospectus supplement relating to the offer and sale of such securities will include:

 

 

The securities may be sold at (i) a fixed price or prices which may be changed, (ii) market prices prevailing at the time of sale, (iii) prices related to the prevailing market prices at the time of sale, or (iv) negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties.

 

If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions. The securities may be offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters, or directly by the underwriters. Generally, the underwriters’ obligation to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities if they purchase any of the securities. In connection with the sale of securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of securities for whom the underwriters may acts as agents. Their compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.

 

Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions (which may be changed from time to time) from the underwriters and/or from the purchasers for whom they act as agent.

 

We may agree to sell the securities to an underwriter for a delayed public offering and may further agree to adjustments before the public offering to the underwriters’ purchase price for the securities based on changes in the market value of the securities.

 

Offers to purchase the securities may be solicited by agents designated by us from time to time. Any such agent involved in the offer or sale of securities will be set forth in the prospectus supplement, and any commission payable by us to such agent will be set forth in the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities so offered and sold.

 

Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and sales thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others. The terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction prices, if utilized, will be described in the proxy supplement related thereto.

 

We may from time to time engage a firm to act as our agent for one or more offerings of our securities. We sometimes refer to this agent as our “offering agent.” If we reach agreement with an offering agent with respect to a

specific offering, including the number of securities and any minimum price below which sales may not be made, than the offering agent will try to sell such securities on the agreed terms. The offering agent could make sales in privately negotiated transactions or any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the NYSE, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The offering agent will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sales effected through an “at the market” offering.

 

If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, we will authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by certain institutional investors to purchase offered securities for payment and delivery on a future date specified in such prospectus supplement. There may be limitations on the minimum amount which may be purchased by any such institutional investor or on the portion of the aggregate principal amount of the particular offered securities which may be sold pursuant to such arrangements. Institutional investors to which such offers may be made, when authorized, include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and such other institutions as may be approved by us. The obligations of any purchaser under these contracts will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the offered securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which the purchaser is subject.

 

Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any series of securities issued hereunder will be a new issue with no established trading market (other than our common stock, which is listed on the NYSE). If we sell any shares of our common stock pursuant to a prospectus supplement, such shares will be listed on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance. We may elect to list any other securities issued hereunder on any exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. Any underwriters or agents to or through whom such securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot assure you as to the liquidity of the trading market for any such securities.

 

To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances these persons would cover the over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the prices of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the offered securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them and any profit realized by them upon the resale of the offered securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act. If such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters, they may be subject to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification against and contribution toward certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

Certain of the underwriters, dealers or agents and their affiliates and associates may engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they receive compensation.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter llp. Goodwin Procter llp has also issued an opinion to us regarding certain tax matters described under “Federal Income Tax Considerations Related to Our REIT Election.”

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements and schedule of DiamondRock Hospitality Company as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2008, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports 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.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E. Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. You can inspect reports and other information we file at the offices of the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, NY 10005. In addition, we maintain a website that contains information about us at www.drhc.com. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus or any other report or documents we file with or furnish to the SEC.

 

We have filed with the SEC a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act relating to the securities that may be offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of that registration statement, but does not contain all of the information in the registration statement. We have omitted parts of the registration statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For more detail about us and any securities that may be offered by this prospectus, you may examine the registration statement on Form S-3 and the exhibits filed with it at the locations listed in the previous paragraph.

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” in this prospectus certain information we file with the SEC, which means that we may disclose important information in this prospectus by referring you to the document that contains the information. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below that we filed with the SEC:

 

 

 

You may request a copy of these documents, and any exhibits we have specifically incorporated by reference as an exhibit in this prospectus, at no cost by writing us at the following address or calling us at the telephone number listed below or via the Internet at the website listed below:

 

DiamondRock Hospitality Company
6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20817
Attention: Investor Relations
(240) 744-1150
Internet Website: www.dhrc.com

 

Readers should rely on the information provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in the applicable supplement to this prospectus. Readers should not assume that the information in this prospectus and the applicable supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of the document.

 

The information contained on our website does not constitute a part of this prospectus, and our website address supplied above is intended to be an inactive textual reference only and not an active hyperlink.