Approximately $255 million of rated debt affected
NOTE: On December 11, 2017, the press release was corrected as follows: In the second paragraph, the fifth sentence was changed to “The second lien term loan will pay interest in kind (PIK) through 6/30/19; thereafter at 50% cash/50% PIK when total leverage is between 4.5x-5.0x and 100% cash when leverage drops below 4.5x.” Revised release follows.
New York, December 08, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") today assigned
a B3 Corporate Family rating and B3-PD Probability of Default rating
to AC Ocean Walk, LLC (AC Ocean Walk). Moody's also
assigned a B2 rating to the proposed $175 million five year first
lien term loan, a Caa2 rating to the proposed 5.5 year $75
million second lien PIK term loan, and Ba3 to the proposed four
year $5.0 million first lien super priority revolver.
Proceeds from the proposed term loans along with $125 million of
common equity will finance the acquisition of AC Ocean Walk ($200M)
(formerly known as Revel Atlantic City), and provide funds for pre-opening
($56M) and renovations costs (including gaming chips, cage
cash, and consumable inventories) ($68M), an interest
reserve ($25M), working capital and fees and expenses of
the transaction ($26M). The term loans and revolver will
be guaranteed by the company's immediate parent, AC Beachfront,
LLC. The first lien term loan and super priority revolver will
be secured by all assets, (including capital stock of subsidiaries)
of the borrower and guarantors. The revolver will have a first
payment priority ahead of the first and second lien term loans.
The second lien term loan will pay interest in kind (PIK) through 6/30/19; thereafter at 50% cash/50% PIK when total leverage is between 4.5x-5.0x and 100% cash when leverage drops below 4.5x.
The assigned ratings are subject to review of final documentation.
Assignments:
..Issuer: AC Ocean Walk, LLC
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Assigned B3-PD
.... Corporate Family Rating, Assigned
B3
....Senior Secured Term Loan, Assigned
B2(LGD3)
....Senior Secured Super Priority Revolving
Credit Facility, Assigned Ba3(LGD1)
....Senior Secured 2nd Lien PIK Term Loan,
Assigned Caa2(LGD5)
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: AC Ocean Walk, LLC
....Outlook, Assigned Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
AC Ocean Walk, LLC's B3 Corporate Family rating is constrained
by execution risk associated with re-opening a large Atlantic City
casino hotel resort that previously filed for bankruptcy, earnings
concentration in a single property, concerns about Atlantic City's
ability to grow and absorb new supply, and high leverage upon opening.
Another casino property is expected to reopen around the same time as
AC Ocean Walk, (collectively, a 35% increase in slot
and table positions). This large supply increase will result in
above average promotional and marketing spend and slow the time it takes
the property to ramp-up operations and attain its fair share.
Between 2014 and 2016, five Atlantic City casinos closed as gaming
in Pennsylvania and the economic downturn took its toll on the market.
AC Ocean Walk benefits from a much improved cost and capital structure
and is being acquired for $200 million -- well below the estimated
$2.6 billion cost to build. The new owners will invest
another $175 million to re-open in May 2018 for a total
invested capital of $375 million. The property is expected
to slowly capture its fair share of the market given the quality of the
property -- (originally opened in 2012), breathe of project
offerings and a revamped operating strategy aligned with the demands of
patrons in the market. A key credit positive is the company's
good liquidity with an interest reserve of approximately $25 million
to cover cash interest through 6/30/19 (about 12 months post the expected
May 2018 opening), a $5 million four year super-priority
revolver, and opening cash balance of $15 million.
Within 12 months of opening, Moody's expects AC Ocean can
ramp up operations to cover its cash interest, mandatory debt amortization,
and maintenance capital spending and begin to build cash. However,
we estimate first year total debt/EBITDA will be high at approximately
7.0x.
The stable outlook reflects sufficient liquidity to fund pre-opening
and renovation costs, an interest reserve that extends approximately
12 months post opening and our expectation the property can ramp up operation
to cover cash needs within 12 months of opening.
The ratings could be downgraded if Atlantic City gaming revenue trends
show signs of deterioration or inability to absorb new supply, if
post opening the company's monthly gaming revenues are below $20
million, or if EBITDA does not track towards $40 million
or liquidity deteriorates. Ratings could be upgraded if the Atlantic
City market absorbs the new supply and debt/EBITDA and EBIT/total interest
stabilizes around 4.5x, and 2.25x, respectively,
and the company maintains good liquidity.
AC Ocean Walk, LLC is privately owned by AC Beachfront, LLC which
in turn is owned by TEN RE AC NJ. TEN RE is owned by Mile High
Dice, LLC (71.8%; controlled by Bruce Deifik)
and Winding Trail Properties, LLC (14.75%; controlled
by Frank Ruocco) and other minority investors. AC Ocean Walk will
operate 100 gaming tables, 2,000 slot machines, 1,399
hotel rooms, pools, a spa, night clubs,and 13
restaurant options. The property is expected to reopen in the second
quarter of 2018.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Gaming Industry
published in June 2014. Please see the Rating Methodologies page
on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to
each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their
credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating.
For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory
disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and
in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to
the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction
structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive
rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further
information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the
respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Peggy Holloway
Senior Vice President
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Janice Hofferber, CFA
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653