RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Studio City Casino Agreement
On May 11, 2007, Melco Resorts Macau and Studio City Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Parent, entered into a services and right to use agreement (as amended on June 15, 2012, together with the reimbursement agreement of the same date and other agreements or arrangements entered into from time to time regarding the operation of Studio City Casino) pursuant to which Melco Resorts Macau operated Studio City Casino. These arrangements were further amended on June 23, 2022. The Studio City Casino Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions for the operation of Studio City Casino by Melco Resorts Macau and the obligations of Studio City Entertainment in respect thereof.
Under the Studio City Casino Agreement, Melco Resorts Macau manages the day to day operations at the Studio City Casino, including determining the number and mix of gaming tables and gaming machines operated at the Studio City Casino, and develops and implements systems and controls and provides security necessary for Studio City Casino. Melco Resorts Macau is also responsible for recruiting casino staff, including dealers, cashiers, security and surveillance personnel and managers. Melco Resorts Macau will deduct gaming taxes and costs incurred in connection with its ongoing operation of Studio City Casino. Such costs include the costs for allocation of any gaming tables for operation of the Studio City Casino above 26.4% of Melco Resorts Macau’s overall gaming tables allocated to Melco Resorts Macau by the Macau government. Studio City Entertainment receives the residual gross gaming revenues and recognizes these amounts as revenue from the Studio City Casino Agreement. As Melco Resorts Macau was allocated 750 gaming tables by the Macau government, pursuant to the Studio City Casino Agreement, Melco Resorts Macau is permitted to deduct costs for the allocation of gaming tables for operation at the Studio City Casino which exceed 198 gaming tables, provided such costs have been approved by SCI’s related party transactions policy. The Studio City Casino Agreement obligates Melco Resorts Macau to manage the day to day operations of the Studio City Casino in a manner intended to appeal to the VIP and mass gaming markets at a standard of quality of service set by Melco Resorts Macau in line with the overall development and operational strategy determined by SCI; however, the Studio City Casino Agreement does not require Melco Resorts Macau to operate a minimum number of gaming tables or gaming machines at the Studio City Casino or any specified mix of gaming tables and gaming machines, and the number of gaming tables and/or gaming machines may be reduced or increased by Melco Resorts Macau as it may determine pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Studio City Casino Agreement.
The Studio City Casino Agreement is subject to customary events of default, including failure of Studio City Entertainment to make any payment required by the agreement or any action by Studio City Entertainment which causes or is likely to cause Melco Resorts Macau to be in breach of its concession. The parties may terminate the Studio City Casino Agreement in the event of a default under the Studio City Casino Agreement or, among others, as a result of regulatory review, except that as long as Studio City Entertainment is directly or indirectly under the control of Melco, Melco Resorts Macau may not terminate the Studio City Casino Agreement.
Management and Shared Services Agreements
On December 21, 2015, SCI and certain of its subsidiaries entered into the Master Services Agreements with certain Melco Affiliates, which sets out the terms and conditions that apply to certain services to be provided under individual work agreements by the Melco Affiliates to certain subsidiaries of SCI and vice versa. The Master Services Agreements and the related arrangements for work agreements have been extended to December 31, 2032.
Advances to Affiliated Companies
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the outstanding balances of advances to affiliated companies, Melco and its subsidiaries, were US$1.42 billion and US$1.42 billion, respectively, which were unsecured and non-interest bearing. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, no part of the amounts will be repayable within the next twelve months from the balance sheet date and, accordingly, the amounts were shown as non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets.
Loans to an Affiliated Company
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the outstanding balances of loans to an affiliated company, Melco, consisted of term loan and/or loan on revolving basis, under the intercompany loan agreements as stated below, were US$219.1 million and US$330.0 million, respectively. Melco has the unconditional right to elect to refinance any maturing amount of the loan advances by way of a rollover loan.
Pursuant to an agreement dated May 18, 2022, as amended on February 27, 2023, entered into between the Company and Melco, with effect from April 6, 2022, the Company agreed to make loan advances to Melco in an amount of up to US$250.0 million on a revolving basis until (and including) April 5, 2027, at a rate not higher than 12 month Term SOFR plus 5% per annum (as and unless otherwise agreed from time to time between both parties) (“Loan Receivable 1”). As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the outstanding balances under Loan Receivable 1 of nil and US$170.0 million, respectively, were unsecured and interest-free. As of December 31, 2022, there was no scheduled repayment within the next twelve months from the balance sheet date and accordingly, the amounts were shown as non-current assets.
Pursuant to an agreement dated February 27, 2023 entered into between the Company and Melco, with effect from August 25, 2022, the Company agreed to make loan advances to Melco in an amount of up to US$160.0 million on a revolving basis until (and including) August 24, 2027, at a rate not higher than 12 month Term SOFR plus 5% per annum (as and unless otherwise agreed from time to time between both parties) (“Loan Receivable 2”). On August 1, 2023, the Company and Melco agreed to change the terms of Loan Receivable 2 pursuant to the Confirmation Letter as described below.
Pursuant to an agreement dated April 27, 2023 entered into between the Company and Melco, with effect from March 9, 2023, the Company agreed to make loan advances to Melco in an amount of up to US$158.0 million on a revolving basis until (and including) March 8, 2028, at a rate not higher than 12 month Term SOFR plus 5% per annum (as and unless otherwise agreed from time to time between both parties) (“Loan Receivable 3”). On August 1, 2023, the Company and Melco agreed to change the terms of Loan Receivable 3 pursuant to the Confirmation Letter as described below.
Pursuant to a confirmation letter dated August 1, 2023 entered into between the Company and Melco (the “Confirmation Letter”), with effect from May 1, 2023, both parties agreed to convert the settlement currency of Loan Receivable 2 and Loan Receivable 3 with outstanding US$ loan principal amounts of US$160.0 million and US$158.0 million, respectively, from an aggregate of US$318.0 million at an agreed exchange rate to an outstanding HK$ loan principal amount of HK$2.50 billion (equivalent to US$318.0 million). Pursuant to the Confirmation Letter, both parties also agreed to amend the interest rate under the Loan Receivable 2 and Loan Receivable 3 from a rate not higher than 12 month Term SOFR plus 5% per annum to the aggregate of i) Term SOFR plus an applicable credit adjustment spread and an applicable margin for loan advances denominated in US$; and ii) HIBOR plus an applicable margin for loan advances denominated in HK$.
As of December 31, 2023, the outstanding balances under the Loan Receivable 2 and Loan Receivable 3 of HK$471.0 million (equivalent to US$60.3 million) and HK$1.24 billion (equivalent to US$158.8 million), respectively, were unsecured and interest bearing at 7.53% per annum. As of December 31, 2022, the outstanding balances under the Loan Receivable 2 of US$160.0 million were unsecured and interest bearing at 5.63% per annum. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, there was no scheduled repayment within the next twelve months from the balance sheet date and accordingly, the amounts were shown as non-current assets.
For discussion of other significant related party transactions we entered into during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, see note 21 to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this annual report.
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