The Company leases several towers for one radio station in Boca Raton, FL from BFT. The lease agreement expires on April 30, 2021. Rental expense was $0.1 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020. Lease payments are currently offset by the partial recognition of a deferred gain on sale from the sale of these towers to BFT in 2006, therefore no rental expense was reported for these towers for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.
The Company leases towers for 19 radio stations in various markets from BFT. As of December 28, 2020, all lease agreements had expired. Rental expense was $0.4 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.
GGB Augusta, LLC
The Company leases land for its radio stations in Augusta, GA from GGB Augusta, LLC which is held by a trust for the benefit of Caroline Beasley, Bruce G. Beasley, Brian E. Beasley and other family members of George G. Beasley. The lease agreement expires on November 1, 2023. Rental expense was approximately $44,000 and $41,000 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
GGB Estero, LLC
The Company leases property for its radio stations in Fort Myers, FL from GGB Estero, LLC which is held by a trust for the benefit of Caroline Beasley, Bruce G. Beasley, Brian E. Beasley and other family members of George G. Beasley. The lease agreement expires on August 31, 2024. Rental expense was $0.2 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.
GGB Las Vegas, LLC
The Company leases property for its radio stations in Las Vegas, NV from GGB Las Vegas, LLC which is controlled by George G. Beasley. The lease agreement expires on December 31, 2023. Rental expense was $0.2 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.
LN2 DB, LLC
On March 25, 2011, the Company contributed $250,000 to Digital PowerRadio, LLC (now LN2 DB, LLC) in exchange for 25,000 units or approximately 20% of the outstanding units. The Company contributed an additional $62,500 on February 14, 2012, $104,167 on July 31, 2012, $104,167 on April 10, 2013, $104,167 on April 4, 2014, $166,667 on April 3, 2015, and $166,667 on May 3, 2016. On February 22, 2017, the Company contributed $150,000 to LN2 DB, LLC in exchange for a note bearing interest at 18% per annum. On June 18, 2018, the note receivable and accrued interest due from LN2 DB, LLC totaling $187,618 was converted to additional equity in LN2 DB, LLC and the Company contributed an additional $150,000. The Company may be called upon to make additional pro rata cash contributions to LN2 DB, LLC in the future. LN2 DB, LLC is managed by Fowler Radio Group, LLC which is partially owned by Mark S. Fowler, an independent director of the Company. In June 2018, George G. Beasley, Caroline Beasley, Bruce Beasley, Brian Beasley and other family members also invested in LN2 DB, LLC under a recapitalization plan. In January 2020, LN2 DB, LLC completed a study of its patents, which concluded that none of them had any significant remaining market value. Therefore, LN2 DB, LLC may decide to dissolve itself in the near future. The Company recorded an impairment loss of $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Wintersrun Communications, LLC
The Company sold the tower for one radio station in Charlotte, NC to Wintersrun Communications, LLC, which is partially held by a trust for the benefit of Caroline Beasley, Bruce G. Beasley, Brian E. Beasley and other family members of George G. Beasley and partially owned directly by Bruce G. Beasley and Brian E. Beasley, for $0.4 million then leased back the tower under an agreement which expires on December 31, 2025. The lease met the criteria to be recorded as a finance lease, however, based on the terms of the lease agreement the $0.3 million gain on sale was deferred and will be recognized as the finance lease right-of-use asset is depreciated. Rental expense was $0.1 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.
The Company leased a tower for one radio station in Augusta, GA from Wintersrun. The lease agreement expires on October 16, 2025. Rental expense was approximately $31,000 for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020.
Mr. George Beasley
As a condition to entering into the Amendment (see Note 10), George Beasley, the Company’s Chairman, provided a $5.0 million loan to the Company that accrued payment-in-kind interest at 6% per annum with no cash payments due until the loan’s maturity in December 2023. Mr. Beasley and GGB Family Limited Partnership also each entered into standby letters of credit in combined aggregate face amount of $5.0 million in favor of U.S. Bank, National Association for the benefit of the Company as a source of backup liquidity that could have been drawn by U.S. Bank, National Association in the event that the Company fails to maintain the Minimum Liquidity Amount. The loan was repaid on February 2, 2021, using a portion of the proceeds from the Notes offering (see Note 10).
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