New York, March 23, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service today downgraded CBAC Gaming, LLC's
("CBAC") Corporate Family Rating ("CFR") to Caa2
from Caa1 and Probability of Default Rating to Caa2-PD from Caa1-PD.
The company's senior secured revolver and term loan were downgraded
to Caa2 from Caa1. The outlook is negative.
The downgrade of CBAC's CFR is in response to the disruption in
casino visitation resulting from efforts to contain the spread of the
coronavirus including recommendations from federal, state and local
governments to avoid gatherings and avoid non-essential travel.
These efforts include mandates to close casinos on a temporary basis.
The downgrade also reflects the negative effect on consumer income and
wealth stemming from job losses and asset price declines, which
will diminish discretionary resources to spend at casinos once this crisis
subsides.
Downgrades:
..Issuer: CBAC Gaming, LLC
.... Corporate Family Rating, Downgraded
to Caa2 from Caa1
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Downgraded to Caa2-PD from Caa1-PD
....Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility,
Downgraded to Caa2 (LGD3) from Caa1 (LGD3)
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: CBAC Gaming, LLC
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
CBAC's Caa2 CFR reflects the meaningful earnings decline over the
next few months expected from efforts to contain the coronavirus and the
potential for a slow recovery once properties reopen. The rating
also reflects the company's small, single property, geographically
concentrated gaming operations, high debt/EBITDA relative to its
scale of operations and competition from the expansion of Live!,
its closest competitor, and MGM's National Harbor casino.
CBAC's gaming revenue was pressured due to competition in the market even
before the coronavirus outbreak. As a casino operator, social
risk is elevated, as evolving consumer preferences related to entertainment
choices and population demographics may drive a change in demand away
from traditional casino-style gaming. Positive credit consideration
is given to the population density of the Washington D.C.
to Baltimore area that should enable the market to eventually absorb the
new supply and management by Caesars and access to its loyalty program.
Moody's views the company's liquidity as weak because of the
expected decline in earnings and cash flow and high risk of a covenant
violation. On March 16, 2020, the company fully drew
down its $15 million revolving credit facility to supplement its
approximately $40 million cash balance (asof 9/30/19). Because
EBITDA and free cash flow will be negative for an uncertain time period,
liquidity and leverage could deteriorate quickly over the next few months.
The company's revolver matures in 2022 and term loan in 2024.
The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak, deteriorating
global economic outlook, falling oil prices, and asset price
declines are creating a severe and extensive credit shock across many
sectors, regions and markets. The combined credit effects
of these developments are unprecedented. The gaming sector has
been one of the sectors most significantly affected by the shock given
its sensitivity to consumer demand and sentiment. More specifically,
the weaknesses in CBAC's credit profile, including its exposure
to travel disruptions and discretionary consumer spending have left it
vulnerable to shifts in market sentiment in these unprecedented operating
conditions and CBAC remains vulnerable to the outbreak continuing to spread.
Moody's regards the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under
our ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public
health and safety. Today's action reflects the impact on
CBAC of the breadth and severity of the shock, and the broad deterioration
in credit quality it has triggered.
The negative outlook considers that CBAC remains vulnerable to travel
disruptions and unfavorable sudden shifts in discretionary consumer spending
and the uncertainty regarding the timing of facility re-openings
and the pace at which consumer spending at the company's properties
will recover.
Ratings could be downgraded if liquidity deteriorates or if Moody's
anticipates CBAC's earnings declines to be deeper or more prolonged
because of actions to contain the spread of the virus or reductions in
discretionary consumer spending.
A ratings upgrade is unlikely given the weak operating environment.
However, the ratings could be upgraded if the facilities reopen
and earnings recover such that positive free cash flow and reinvestment
flexibility is restored and debt-to-EBITDA is sustained
below 8.0x.
CBAC Gaming, LLC is a joint venture whose members consist of CR
Baltimore Holdings, LLC (CRBH), CVPR Gaming Holdings,
LLC, and PRT Two. CRBH is a joint venture between Caesars
Baltimore Investment Company, LLC and Rock Gaming Mothership,
LLC. CBAC developed and opened the Horseshoe Baltimore casino in
Baltimore, MD on August 26, 2014. Horseshoe Baltimore
features more than 2,200 slot machines, including more than
150 video poker machines, a 25-table WSOP Poker Room and
over 150 table games. A wholly owned subsidiary of Caesars Operating
Co., LLC manages the property. CBAC is a private company
that does not disclose financial information to the public.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Gaming Industry published
in December 2017. 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, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security 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.
Adam McLaren
Vice President - Senior Analyst
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
John E. Puchalla, CFA
Associate Managing Director
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