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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

File No. 333-204234

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered		Amount to be Registered		Maximum Offering Price Per Unit		Maximum Aggregate Offering Price		Amount of Registration Fee
4.75% Senior Notes due 2027		$250,000,000		100%		$250,000,000		$31,125 (1)
Guarantees of the 4.75% Senior Notes Due 2027		(2)		(2)		(2)		(2)

 

(1)

The filing fee of $31,125 is calculated in accordance with Rules 457(o) and 457(r) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Act. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Act, the registrants initially deferred payment of all of the registration fees for Registration Statement No. 333-204234 filed by the registrants on May 15, 2015, as amended.

 

(2)

No separate consideration will be received for the guarantees. Pursuant to Rule 457(n) under the Act, no separate fee is payable with respect to the guarantees being registered hereby.

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Prospectus Supplement

(To Prospectus Dated May 15, 2015)

 

$250,000,000

4.75% Senior Notes due 2027

 

 

CoreCivic, Inc., or CoreCivic, is offering $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.75% senior unsecured notes due 2027 (the “notes”). The notes will mature on October 15, 2027. Interest on the notes will accrue from October 13, 2017, and we will pay interest on April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on April 15, 2018.

At any time prior to July 15, 2027, we may redeem all or part of the notes at a “make whole” redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. At any time thereafter, we may redeem all or part of the notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. See “Description of Notes—Optional Redemption.” If we experience certain changes of control, holders will have the right to require us to repurchase the notes under the terms set forth herein.

The notes will be our senior unsecured obligation and will rank equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior indebtedness, including our existing $325.0 million principal amount of 4.125% senior notes due 2020 (the “2020 Senior Notes”), our existing $350.0 million principal amount of 4.625% senior notes due 2023 (the “2023 Senior Notes”) and our existing $250.0 million principal amount of 5.00% senior notes due 2022 (the “2022 Senior Notes” and, collectively, with the 2020 Senior Notes and 2023 Senior Notes, the “Existing Senior Notes”). The notes will be senior to our existing and future subordinated indebtedness. The notes will be effectively junior to all of our existing and future secured indebtedness, including amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility and term loan, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness. The notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by substantially all of our existing and future subsidiaries that guarantee our revolving credit facility, our term loan, or other specified indebtedness. The guarantee of any subsidiary will be released when such subsidiary no longer guarantees such indebtedness or when such subsidiary is no longer a subsidiary of ours. The guarantees will be equal in right of payment with the existing and future senior indebtedness of the guarantors, including the guarantees of the Existing Senior Notes, and will rank senior to the future subordinated indebtedness of the guarantors. The guarantees will be effectively junior to all existing and future secured indebtedness of the guarantors, including guarantees of our revolving credit facility and term loan to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness. The notes will be structurally junior to the indebtedness and other liabilities of our non-guarantor subsidiaries.

The notes will be issued only in registered form in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 thereafter.

Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 in this prospectus supplement, on page 5 in the accompanying prospectus, on page 30 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and on page 42 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, for a discussion of certain risks that you should consider in connection with an investment in the notes.

 

 

 

		Per Note						Total
Initial price to public(1)			100.0	%				$	250,000,000
Underwriting discounts and commissions			1.0	%				$	2,500,000
Proceeds, before expenses, to CoreCivic			99.0	%				$	247,500,000

 

(1)

Plus accrued interest from October 13, 2017 if settlement occurs after that date.

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 the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We expect delivery of the notes will be made to investors in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company on or about October 13, 2017.

 

 

Joint Book Running Managers

 

BofA Merrill Lynch		J.P. Morgan		SunTrust Robinson Humphrey

PNC Capital Markets LLC		Regions Securities LLC

Co-Managers

 

Citizens Capital Markets				FTN Financial Securities Corp

 

 

The date of this prospectus supplement is October 11, 2017.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT			S-ii
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			S-ii
MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA			S-iii
INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION BY REFERENCE			S-iii
SUMMARY			S-1
RISK FACTORS			S-9
USE OF PROCEEDS			S-29
CAPITALIZATION			S-30
DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN OTHER INDEBTEDNESS			S-31
DESCRIPTION OF NOTES			S-33
BOOK-ENTRY, DELIVERY AND FORM			S-51
SUPPLEMENTAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS			S-55
CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS			S-56
UNDERWRITING (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)			S-58
LEGAL MATTERS			S-62
EXPERTS			S-62

Prospectus

 

About This Prospectus			1
Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference			2
The Company			4
Risk Factors			5
Forward-Looking Statements			6
Use of Proceeds			7
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Share Dividends			8
Description of Capital Stock			9
Description of Debt Securities			13
Description of Guarantees			21
Description of Other Securities			22
Global Securities			23
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfers of Stock			26
United States Federal Income Tax Considerations			29
Plan of Distribution			52
Legal Matters			53
Experts			53

 

 

You may rely on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Neither we nor any of the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide different information. When you make a decision about whether to invest in our securities, you should not rely upon any information other than the information in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Neither the delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus nor sale of securities means that information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is correct after the date of the applicable document. This prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is not an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy these securities in any circumstances under which the offer or solicitation is unlawful.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part, the prospectus, provides more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

Before purchasing any securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with the incorporated documents described under the heading “Incorporation of Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement, and any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering. The descriptions of any instrument, agreement or other document appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein (including, without limitation, the descriptions of our $900 million revolving credit facility and $100 million term loan, collectively referred to as our Credit Facility, and the indenture pursuant to which the notes will be issued) are summaries and are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, the terms and provisions of those instruments, agreements and other documents. You should carefully review such instruments, agreements and other documents in their entirety for complete information on the terms and provisions thereof. See “Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference” in the accompanying prospectus for information on how you can obtain copies of such instruments, agreements and other documents.

Unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires, references to “dollars” and “$” in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus are to United States dollars.

In this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer to CoreCivic, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein contain, and other offering materials and documents deemed to be incorporated by reference herein or therein may contain, statements as to our beliefs and expectations of the outcome of future events that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of current or historical fact contained herein, including statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “projects,” “will,” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties associated with:

 

•

general economic and market conditions, including the impact governmental budgets can have on our contract renewals and renegotiations, per diem rates, and occupancy;

 

•

fluctuations in our operating results because of, among other things, changes in occupancy levels, competition, increases in cost of operations, fluctuations in interest rates, and risks of operations;

 

•

our ability to obtain and maintain correctional, detention and reentry facility management contracts because of reasons including, but not limited to, sufficient governmental appropriations, contract compliance and effects of inmate disturbances;

 

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•

changes in the privatization of the corrections and detention industry, the public acceptance of our services, the timing of the opening of new facilities and the commencement of new management contracts, as well as our ability to utilize current available beds and new capacity as development and expansion projects are completed;

 

•

changes in government policy regarding the utilization of the private sector for corrections and detention capacity and our services;

 

•

changes in government policy and in legislation and regulation of corrections and detention contractors that affect our business, including but not limited to, California’s utilization of out-of-state contracted correctional capacity and the continued utilization of the South Texas Family Residential Center by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, under terms of the current contract, and the impact of any changes to immigration reform and sentencing laws (Our company does not, under longstanding policy, lobby for or against policies or legislation that would determine the basis for, or duration of, an individual’s incarceration or detention.);

 

•

our ability to successfully integrate operations of our acquisitions and realize projected returns resulting therefrom;

 

•

our ability to meet and maintain qualification for taxation as a real estate investment trust, or REIT; and

 

•

the availability of debt and equity financing on terms that are favorable to us.

Any or all of our forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus may turn out to be inaccurate. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Our statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions described in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, and in any other reports we file with the SEC from time to time.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the filing date of the applicable document. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this prospectus supplement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law.

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

Certain market data contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus are based on independent industry publications and reports by market research firms. Although we believe these sources are reliable, we have not independently verified the information and cannot guarantee its accuracy and completeness. Some data are also based on our good faith estimates, which are derived from our review of internal surveys, as well as the independent sources referred to above.

INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus supplement the information that we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important business and financial information to you by referring you to information and documents that we have filed with the SEC. Any information that we refer to in this manner is considered part of this prospectus supplement. Any information that we file with the SEC after this prospectus supplement will automatically update and supersede the corresponding information contained in this prospectus supplement or in documents filed earlier with the SEC.

 

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We are incorporating by reference into this prospectus supplement the following documents that we have previously filed with the SEC:

 

•

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on February 23, 2017 (including the portions of the Company’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on March 30, 2017 that are incorporated by reference therein);

 

•

Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on May 4, 2017, and for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, filed with the SEC on August 8, 2017; and

 

•

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2017 and May 12, 2017.

We are also incorporating by reference any future filings that we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, after this prospectus supplement and prior to the completion or termination of any offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information that we furnish under Items 2.02 and 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits under Item 9.01, is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

Each document referred to above is available over the Internet on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on our website at www.corecivic.com. We will also furnish without charge to you, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents described above, except for exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. Requests should be directed to:

CoreCivic, Inc.

10 Burton Hills Boulevard

Nashville, Tennessee 37215

(615) 263-3000

Attention: Investor Relations

 

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RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the following factors that could materially affect our business, as well as the other information set forth or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the risks and uncertainties discussed under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. Any of these risks could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. These risks could also cause our actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements contained herein and elsewhere. The following is a non-exclusive discussion of such risks and uncertainties.

Risks Related to our Indebtedness

Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under our debt securities.

We have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of June 30, 2017, after giving effect to this offering and the use of proceeds as contemplated herein, we would have had total indebtedness of approximately $1.4 billion. Our indebtedness could have important consequences. For example, it could:

 

•

make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our indebtedness, including the notes issued in this offering;

 

•

increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

•

require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, dividends, and other general corporate purposes;

 

•

limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;

 

•

restrict us from pursuing strategic acquisitions or certain other business opportunities;

 

•

place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and

 

•

limit our ability to borrow additional funds or refinance existing indebtedness on favorable terms.

If we are unable to meet our debt service obligations, we may need to reduce capital expenditures and dividend distributions, restructure or refinance our indebtedness, obtain additional equity financing or sell assets. We may be unable to restructure or refinance our indebtedness, obtain additional equity financing or sell assets on satisfactory terms or at all.

Our Credit Facility and the indentures related to the Existing Senior Notes and the notes offered hereby have restrictive covenants that could limit our financial flexibility.

The indentures related to the Existing Senior Notes, the indenture related to the notes offered hereby, and our Credit Facility contain financial and other restrictive covenants that limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interests. Our ability to borrow under our Credit Facility is subject to compliance with certain financial covenants, including leverage and interest coverage ratios. Our Credit Facility includes other restrictions that, among other things, limit our ability to incur indebtedness; grant liens; engage in mergers, consolidations and liquidations; make asset dispositions, restricted payments and investments; enter into transactions with affiliates; and amend, modify or prepay certain indebtedness. See “Description of Certain Other Indebtedness — Credit Facility.” The indentures related to our Existing Senior Notes contain, and the indenture related to the notes offered hereby will contain, limitations on our ability to effect mergers and change of control

 

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events, as well as other limitations on our ability to create liens on our assets. See “Description of Certain Other Indebtedness — Other Unsecured Senior Notes” and “Description of Notes — Covenants.”

Our failure to comply with these covenants could result in an event of default that, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all or a substantial portion of our debts. We do not have sufficient working capital to satisfy our debt obligations in the event of an acceleration of all or a significant portion of our outstanding indebtedness.

The indenture for the notes may not provide protection against events or developments that may affect our ability to repay the notes or the trading prices for the notes.

The indenture governing the notes will contain a covenant limiting the ability of the Company and the guarantors to incur liens on their assets to secure indebtedness, subject to certain exceptions, without equally and ratably securing the notes. This limitation is subject to a number of important exceptions.

The indenture governing the notes will not:

 

•

require us to maintain any financial ratios or specific levels of net worth, revenues, income, cash flow or liquidity and, accordingly, does not protect holders of the notes in the event that we experience material adverse changes in our financial condition or results of operations;

 

•

limit our ability to incur indebtedness;

 

•

restrict our ability to pay dividends, prepay indebtedness ranking junior to the notes or make investments; or

 

•

restrict our ability to engage in any acquisition or other transaction, other than our ability to merge or consolidate with, or sell all or substantially all of our assets to, another person without the surviving or transferring person (if other than CoreCivic) assuming the obligations under the notes.

For these reasons, you should not consider the covenants in the indenture governing the notes as a significant factor in evaluating whether to invest in the notes. In addition, we are subject to periodic review by independent credit rating agencies. An increase in the level of our outstanding indebtedness, or other events that could have an adverse impact on our business, properties, financial condition, results of operations or prospects, may cause the rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings generally, and the ratings on the notes, which could adversely impact the trading prices for, or the liquidity of, the notes. Any such downgrade could also adversely affect our cost of borrowing, limit our access to the capital markets or result in more restrictive covenants in future debt agreements.

Servicing our indebtedness will require a significant amount of cash. Our ability to generate cash depends on many factors beyond our control.

Our ability to make payments on our indebtedness, to refinance our indebtedness and to fund planned capital expenditures will depend on our ability to generate cash in the future. This, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory, and other factors that are beyond our control.

The risk exists that our business will be unable to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future borrowings will not be available to us under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness, including our Existing Senior Notes and our senior notes to be issued in this notes offering, or new debt securities, or to fund our other liquidity needs. We may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness, including our Existing Senior Notes, or new debt securities, on or before maturity. We may not, however, be able to refinance any of our indebtedness, including our Credit Facility and the Existing Senior Notes and including our senior notes to be issued in this notes offering, or new debt securities, on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

 

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We are required to repurchase all or a portion of our senior notes, including the notes offered hereby, upon a change of control, and our Credit Facility is subject to acceleration upon a change of control.

Upon certain change of control events, as that term is defined in the indentures for our Existing Senior Notes and the notes to be issued in this offering, including a change of control caused by an unsolicited third party, we are required to make an offer in cash to repurchase all or any part of each holder’s notes at a repurchase price equal to 101% of the principal thereof, plus accrued interest. The source of funds for any such repurchase would be our available cash or cash generated from operations or other sources, including borrowings, sales of equity or funds provided by a new controlling person or entity. Sufficient funds may not be available to us, however, at the time of any change of control event to repurchase all or a portion of the tendered notes pursuant to this requirement. Our failure to offer to repurchase notes, or to repurchase notes tendered, following a change of control will result in a default under the respective indentures, which could lead to a cross-default under our Credit Facility and under the terms of our other indebtedness. In addition, terms of our Credit Facility, which are subject to acceleration upon the occurrence of a change in control (as described therein), may prohibit us from making any such required repurchases. Prior to repurchasing the notes upon a change of control event, we must either repay outstanding indebtedness under our Credit Facility or obtain the consent of the lenders under our Credit Facility. If we do not obtain the required consents or repay our outstanding indebtedness under our Credit Facility, we would remain effectively prohibited from offering to purchase the notes. See “Description of Notes — Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control.”

There is uncertainty about the meaning of the phrase “all or substantially all” under applicable laws in connection with determining whether a change of control has occurred.

One of the events that triggers our obligation to repurchase the notes upon a change in control is the sale of all or substantially all of our assets. The phrase “all or substantially all” as used in the indenture governing the notes varies according to the facts and circumstances of the subject transaction, has no clearly established meaning under the law that governs the indenture and is subject to judicial interpretation. In certain circumstances, there may be a degree of uncertainty in ascertaining whether a particular transaction would involve a disposition of “all or substantially all” of our assets, and therefore, it may be unclear as to whether a change of control has occurred and whether you have the right to require us to repurchase the notes.

Despite current indebtedness levels, we may still incur more debt.

The terms of our Credit Facility restrict our ability to incur indebtedness; however, we may nevertheless incur additional indebtedness in the future, and in the future, we may refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness, including our Credit Facility, and may incur additional indebtedness as a result. As of June 30, 2017, we had $481.5 million of additional borrowing capacity available under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility. In addition, we may issue an indeterminate amount of debt securities from time to time when we determine that market conditions and the opportunity to utilize the proceeds from the issuance of such debt securities are favorable. If new debt is added to our and our subsidiaries’ current debt levels, the related risks that we and they now face could intensify.

Our access to capital may be affected by general macroeconomic conditions.

Credit markets may tighten significantly such that our ability to obtain new capital will be more challenging and more expensive. We can provide no assurance that the banks that have made commitments under our Credit Facility will continue to operate as going concerns in the future. If any of the banks in the lending group were to fail, it is possible that the capacity under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility would be reduced. In the event that the availability under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility was reduced significantly, we could be required to obtain capital from alternate sources in order to continue with our business and capital strategies. Our options for addressing such capital constraints would include, but not be limited to (i) delaying certain capital expenditure projects, (ii) obtaining commitments from the remaining banks in the lending group or from new banks to fund increased amounts under the terms of our Credit Facility, (iii) accessing the public capital markets,

 

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or (iv) reducing our dividend (but not less than amounts required to maintain our status as a REIT and avoid income and excise taxes). Such alternatives could be on terms less favorable than under existing terms, which could have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Rising interest rates would increase the cost of our variable rate debt.

We have incurred and expect in the future to incur indebtedness that bears interest at variable rates, including indebtedness under our Credit Facility. Accordingly, increases in interest rates would increase our interest costs, which could have a material adverse effect on us and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders and pay amounts due on our debt or cause us to be in default under certain debt instruments. In addition, an increase in market interest rates may lead holders of our common stock to demand a higher yield on their shares from distributions by us, which could adversely affect the market price for our common stock.

Risks Related to our REIT Structure

If we fail to remain qualified as a REIT, we would be subject to corporate income taxes and would not be able to deduct distributions to stockholders when computing our taxable income.

We currently operate in a manner that is intended to allow us to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year beginning January 1, 2013. However, we cannot assure you that we have qualified or will remain qualified as a REIT. Qualification as a REIT requires us to satisfy numerous requirements established under highly technical and complex sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, which may change from time to time and for which there are only limited judicial and administrative interpretations, and involves the determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control. For example, in order to qualify as a REIT, the REIT must derive at least 95% of its gross income in any year from qualifying sources. In addition, a REIT is required to distribute annually to its stockholders at least 90% of its REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and by excluding capital gains) and must satisfy specified asset tests on a quarterly basis.

If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we would be subject to federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income computed in the usual manner for corporate taxpayers without deduction for distributions to our stockholders and we may need to borrow additional funds or issue securities to pay such additional tax liability. Any such corporate income tax liability could be substantial and would reduce the amount of cash available for other purposes, including distributions to our stockholders, because, unless we are entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions, we would be taxable as a C-corporation, beginning in the year in which the failure occurs, and we would not be allowed to re-elect to be taxed as a REIT for the following four years.

Even if we remain qualified as a REIT, we may owe taxes under certain circumstances.

Even if we qualify as a REIT, we will be subject to certain U.S. federal, state and local taxes on our income and property, including on taxable income that we do not distribute to our stockholders, and on net income from certain “prohibited transactions”. In addition, the REIT provisions of the Code are complex and are not always subject to clear interpretation. For example, a REIT must derive at least 95% of its gross income in any year from qualifying sources, including rents from real property. Rents from real property include amounts received for the use of limited amounts of personal property and for certain services. Whether amounts constitute rents from real property or other qualifying income may not be entirely clear in all cases. We may fail to qualify as a REIT if we exceed the permissible amounts of non-qualifying income unless such failures qualify for relief under certain statutory relief provisions. Even if we qualify for statutory relief, we may be required to pay an excise or penalty tax (which could be significant in amount) in order to utilize one or more such relief provisions under the Code to maintain our qualification as a REIT. Furthermore, we conduct substantial activities through taxable REIT subsidiaries, or TRSs, and the income of those subsidiaries is subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates.

 

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To maintain our REIT status, we may be forced to obtain capital during unfavorable market conditions, which could adversely affect our overall financial performance.

In order to qualify as a REIT, we will be required each year to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and by excluding any net capital gain) and we will be subject to tax to the extent our taxable income (including net capital gain) is not fully distributed. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which distributions we pay in any calendar year are less than the sum of 85% of our ordinary income, 95% of our net capital gains, and 100% of our undistributed income from prior years. We intend to continue to make distributions to our stockholders to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code as well as to reduce our exposure to federal income taxes and the nondeductible excise tax. Differences in timing between the receipt of income and the payment of expenses to arrive at taxable income, along with the effect of required debt amortization payments, could require us to borrow funds to meet the distribution requirements that are necessary to achieve the tax benefits associated with qualifying as a REIT. We may acquire additional capital through our issuance of securities senior to our common stock, including additional borrowings or other indebtedness or the issuance of additional securities. Issuance of such senior securities creates additional risks because leverage is a speculative technique that may adversely affect common stockholders or noteholders. If the return on assets acquired with borrowed funds or other leverage proceeds does not exceed the cost of the leverage, the use of leverage could negatively affect our cash flow.

Additionally, the issuance of senior securities involves offering expenses and other costs, including interest payments. Fluctuations in interest rates could increase interest payments on our senior securities, and could reduce cash available for distribution on common stock or for payment on our debt securities. Rating agency guidelines applicable to any senior securities may impose asset coverage requirements, dividend limitations, voting right requirements (in the case of the senior equity securities), and other restrictions. Further, the terms of any senior securities or other borrowings may impose additional requirements, restrictions and limitations that are more stringent than those required by a rating agency that rates outstanding senior securities that may have an adverse effect on us.

Further, in order to maintain our REIT status, we may need to borrow funds to meet the REIT distribution requirements even if the then-prevailing market conditions are not favorable for these borrowings. Our ability to access debt and equity capital on favorable terms or at all is dependent upon a number of factors, including general market conditions, the market’s perception of our growth potential, our current and potential future earnings and cash distributions and the market price of our securities. Issuance of debt or equity securities will expose us to typical risks associated with leverage, including increased risk of loss. On the other hand, we may not be able to raise such additional capital in the future on favorable terms or at all. Unfavorable economic conditions could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us.

There are uncertainties relating to our estimate of the E&P Distribution.

To qualify for taxation as a REIT effective for the year ended December 31, 2013, we were required to distribute to our stockholders on or before December 31, 2013, our undistributed accumulated earnings and profits attributable to taxable periods ending prior to January 1, 2013. On May 20, 2013, we distributed $675.0 million to stockholders of record as of April 19, 2013 in satisfaction of this requirement, or the E&P Distribution. We believe that the total value of the E&P Distribution was sufficient to fully distribute our accumulated earnings and profits and that a portion of the E&P Distribution exceeded our accumulated earnings and profits. However, the amount of our accumulated earnings and profits is a complex factual and legal determination. We may have had less than complete information at the time we estimated our earnings and profits or may have interpreted the applicable law differently from the IRS. Substantial uncertainties exist relating to the computation of our undistributed accumulated earnings and profits, including the possibility that the IRS could, in auditing tax years through 2012, successfully assert that our taxable income should be increased, which could increase our pre-REIT accumulated earnings and profits. Thus, we could fail to satisfy the requirement that we distribute all

 

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of our pre-REIT accumulated earnings and profits by the close of our first taxable year as a REIT. Moreover, although there are procedures available to cure a failure to distribute all of our pre-REIT accumulated earnings and profits, we cannot now determine whether we would be able to take advantage of them or the economic impact to us of doing so.

Performing services through our TRSs may increase our overall tax liability relative to other REITs or subject us to certain excise taxes.

A TRS may hold assets and earn income, including income earned from the performance of correctional services, that would not be qualifying assets or income if held or earned directly by a REIT. We conduct a significant portion of our business activities through our TRSs. Our TRSs are subject to federal, foreign, state and local income tax on their taxable income, and their after-tax net income generally is available for distribution to us but is not required to be distributed to us. The TRS rules also impose a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. In addition, the TRS rules limit the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent REIT to ensure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of corporate income taxation. We believe our arrangements with our TRSs are on arm’s-length terms and intend to continue to operate in a manner that allows us to avoid incurring the 100% excise tax described above. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be able to avoid application of the 100% excise tax or the limitations on interest deductions discussed above.

The value of the securities we own in our TRS is limited under the REIT asset tests.

Under the Code, no more than 25% (20% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018) of the value of the gross assets of a REIT may be represented by securities of one or more TRSs. This limitation may affect our ability to increase the size of our TRSs’ operations and assets, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with this limitation. If we are unable to comply with this limitation, we would fail to qualify as a REIT. Furthermore, our significant use of TRSs may cause the market to value shares of our common stock differently than the stock of other REITs, which may not use TRSs as extensively. Although we intend to monitor the value of our investments in TRSs, there can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with the 25% (20% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018) limitation discussed above.

We may be limited in our ability to fund distributions using cash generated through our TRSs.

At least 75% of gross income for each taxable year as a REIT must be derived from passive real estate sources and no more than 25% of gross income may consist of dividends from our TRSs and other non-real estate income. This limitation on our ability to receive dividends from our TRSs may affect our ability to fund cash distributions to our stockholders using cash from our TRSs. Moreover, our TRSs are not required to distribute their net income to us, and any income of our TRSs that is not distributed to us will not be subject to the REIT income distribution requirement.

Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities or liquidate otherwise attractive investments.

To qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our stockholders and the ownership of our common stock. If we fail to comply with one or more of the asset tests at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct the failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter or qualify for certain statutory relief provisions to avoid losing our REIT qualification and suffering adverse tax consequences. In order to meet these tests, we may be required to forego investments we might otherwise make or to liquidate otherwise attractive investments. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our performance and reduce amounts available for distribution to our stockholders.

 

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The tax imposed on REITs engaging in “prohibited transactions” may limit our ability to engage in transactions which would be treated as sales for federal income tax purposes.

A REIT’s net income from prohibited transactions is subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. Although we do not intend to hold any properties that would be characterized as held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our business, unless a sale or disposition qualifies under certain statutory safe harbors, such characterization is a factual determination and no guarantee can be given that the IRS would agree with our characterization of our properties or that we will always be able to make use of the available safe harbors.

We could have potential deferred and contingent tax liabilities from our REIT conversion that could limit, delay or impede future sales of our properties.

Even though we qualify for taxation as a REIT, if we acquire any asset from a corporation which is or has been a C-corporation in a transaction in which the basis of the asset in our hands is less than the fair market value of the asset (including as a result of the REIT conversion), in each case determined at the time we acquired the asset or converted to a REIT, as applicable, and we subsequently recognize a gain on the disposition of the asset during the five-year period beginning on the date on which we acquired the asset or converted to a REIT, as applicable, then we will be required to pay tax at the highest regular corporate tax rate on this gain to the extent of the excess of (a) the fair market value of the asset over (b) its adjusted basis in the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset or converted to a REIT, as applicable. These requirements could limit, delay or impede future sales of our properties. We currently do not expect to sell any asset if the sale would result in the imposition of a material tax liability. We cannot, however, assure you that we will not change our plans in this regard.

We may inherit tax liabilities and attributes in connection with acquisitions.

From time to time we may acquire other corporations or entities and, in connection with such acquisitions, we may succeed to the historic tax attributes and liabilities of such entities. For example, in order to qualify as a REIT, at the end of any taxable year, we must not have any earnings and profits accumulated in a non-REIT year. As a result, if we acquire a C-corporation in certain transactions, we must distribute the corporation’s earnings and profits accumulated prior to the acquisition before the end of the taxable year in which we acquire the C-corporation. We also could be required to pay the acquired entity’s unpaid taxes even though such liabilities arose prior to the time we acquired the entity. These issues are applicable to Avalon Correctional Services, Inc. and Correctional Management, Inc., which were C-corporations prior to our acquisitions of these companies.

Legislative or regulatory action affecting REITs could adversely affect us or our stockholders.

Legislative, regulatory or administrative changes could be enacted or promulgated at any time, either prospectively or with retroactive effect, and may adversely affect us and/or our customers.

President Trump, the House leadership and the Senate leadership all have expressed interest in passing comprehensive tax reform in 2017. While certain aspects of tax reform proposals have been described, proposed legislation has not yet been introduced by the leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee or the Senate Finance Committee. None of the descriptions of tax reform proposals have specifically addressed the treatment of REITs. There is no assurance that comprehensive tax reform will be enacted, when any such legislation might be enacted, what specific measures will be included in any enacted tax reform language, or whether tax reform would adversely affect us or our stockholders.

 

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Risks Related to the Offering

The notes are effectively subordinated to our secured indebtedness and structurally subordinated to any future indebtedness of any non-guarantor subsidiaries.

The notes are unsecured and therefore are effectively subordinated to any of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness. As of June 30, 2017, our total secured indebtedness was approximately $501.0 million and we had approximately $481.5 million available under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility. The indenture governing the notes permits us to incur additional secured indebtedness provided certain conditions are met. See “Description of Notes — Covenants — Limitations on Liens.” Consequently, in the event we are the subject of a bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding, the holders of any secured indebtedness will be entitled to the benefits of the collateral that secures the secured indebtedness, and the collateral will not be available for satisfaction of any amounts owed under our unsecured indebtedness, including the notes.

The notes will not be guaranteed by all of our subsidiaries. Accordingly, claims of holders of the notes will be structurally subordinated to the claims of creditors of these non-guarantor subsidiaries, including trade creditors. All obligations of our non-guarantor subsidiaries will have to be satisfied before any of the assets of such subsidiaries would be available for distribution, upon a liquidation or otherwise, to us or a guarantor of the notes. As of June 30, 2017, our non-guarantor subsidiaries had no indebtedness outstanding.

There are circumstances other than repayment or discharge of the notes under which the guarantees of the notes will be released automatically, without your consent or the consent of the trustee under the indenture governing the notes, and you may not realize any payment upon release of such guarantees.

The guarantee of a guarantor of the notes will be automatically released in connection with a sale of such guarantor in a transaction not prohibited by the indenture governing the notes or if a guarantor is released from its guarantee under all of our other indebtedness. See “Description of Notes — The Subsidiary Guarantees.” In addition, the creditors of such subsidiary and its subsidiaries will have an effectively senior claim on the assets of such subsidiary and its subsidiaries.

Federal and state statutes may allow courts, under specific circumstances, to void the notes or the guarantees and/or require holders of the notes to return payments received from us.

Under federal bankruptcy laws and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, the notes and the guarantees, could be voided, or claims in respect of the notes and the guarantees could be subordinated to all of our other debt, if the issuance of the notes or a guarantee was found to have been made for less than reasonable equivalent value and we, at the time we incurred the indebtedness evidenced by the notes:

 

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were insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such indebtedness;

 

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were engaged in, or about to engage in, a business or transaction for which our remaining assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or

 

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intended to incur, or believed that we would incur, debts beyond our ability to repay such debts as they mature.

A court might also void the issuance of the notes or a guarantee without regard to the above factors if the court found that we issued the notes or the guarantors issued the guarantees with actual intent to hinder, delay or defraud our or their respective creditors.

A court would likely find that we or a guarantor did not receive reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the notes or the guarantees if we or a guarantor did not substantially benefit directly or indirectly from the issuance of the notes. If a court were to void the issuance of the notes or the guarantees, you would no longer have a claim against us or the guarantors. Sufficient funds to repay the notes may not be available from other sources, including the remaining guarantors, if any. In addition, the court might direct you to

 

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repay any amounts that you already received from us or the guarantors or, with respect to the notes or any notes guarantee.

In addition, any payment by us pursuant to the notes made at a time when we were subsequently found to be insolvent could be voided and required to be returned to us or to a fund for the benefit of our creditors if such payment is made to an insider within a one-year period prior to a bankruptcy filing or within 90 days for any outside party and such payment would give the creditors more than such creditors would have received in a liquidation under Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, or the Bankruptcy Code.

The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent and preferential transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent or preferential transfer has occurred. Generally, however, we would be considered insolvent if:

 

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the sum of our debts, including contingent liabilities, was greater than the fair saleable value of all our assets;

 

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the present fair saleable value of our assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay our probable liability on existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or

 

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we could not pay our debts as they become due.

On the basis of historical financial information, recent operating history and other factors, we believe that, after giving effect to the sale of the notes, we will not be insolvent, will not have unreasonably small capital for the business in which we are engaged and will not have incurred debts beyond our ability to pay such debts as they mature. There can be no assurance, however, as to what standard a court would apply in making such determinations or that a court would agree with our conclusions in this regard. The indenture governing the notes contains a “savings clause,” which limits the liability of each guarantor on its guarantee to the maximum amount that such guarantor can incur without risk that its guarantee will be subject to avoidance as a fraudulent transfer. We cannot assure you that this limitation will protect such guarantees from fraudulent transfer challenges or, if it does, that the remaining amount due and collectible under the guarantees would suffice, if necessary, to pay the notes in full when due. Furthermore, in a recent case, Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of TOUSA, Inc. v Citicorp North America, Inc., the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Florida held that a savings clause similar to the savings clause that is included in the indenture governing the notes was unenforceable. As a result, the subsidiary guarantees were found to be fraudulent conveyances. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently affirmed the liability findings of the Bankruptcy Court without ruling directly on the enforceability of savings clauses generally. If the TOUSA decision were followed by other courts, the risk that the guarantees would be deemed fraudulent conveyances would be significantly increased.

In addition, although each guarantee will contain a provision intended to limit that guarantor’s liability to the maximum amount that it could incur without causing the incurrence of obligations under its guarantee to be a fraudulent transfer, this provision may not be effective to protect those guarantees from being voided under fraudulent transfer law, or may reduce that guarantor’s obligation to an amount that effectively makes its guarantee worthless.

Finally, as a court of equity, the bankruptcy court may subordinate the claims in respect of the notes to other claims against us under the principle of equitable subordination if the court determines that: (i) the holders of the notes engaged in some type of inequitable conduct; (ii) such inequitable conduct resulted in injury to our other creditors or conferred an unfair advantage upon the holder of the notes; and (iii) equitable subordination is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code.

If an active trading market does not develop for these notes, you may not be able to resell them.

Prior to this offering, there was no public market for these notes. If no active trading market develops, you may not be able to resell your notes at their fair market value or at all. Future trading prices of the notes will

 

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depend on many factors, including, among other things, prevailing interest rates, our operating results and the market for similar securities. We have been informed by the underwriters that they currently intend to make a market in the notes after this offering is completed. However, the underwriters may cease their market-making at any time. We do not intend to apply for listing of the notes on any securities exchange or an automated dealer quotation system. Moreover, if a market were to exist, the notes could trade at prices that may be lower than their initial offering price because of many factors, including, but not limited to:

 

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prevailing interest rates, increases in which may have an adverse effect on the market value of the notes;

 

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the market for similar securities issued by other REITs;

 

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general economic and financial market conditions;

 

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the financial condition, performance and prospects of us and our competitors;

 

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changes in financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts with respect to us, our competitors or our industry;

 

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changes in our credit ratings; and

 

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actual or anticipated variations in quarterly operating results of us and our competitors.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Our results of operations are dependent on revenues generated by our correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities, which are subject to the following risks associated with the corrections and detention industry.

We are subject to fluctuations in occupancy levels, and a decrease in occupancy levels could cause a decrease in revenues and profitability. 

While a substantial portion of our cost structure is fixed, a substantial portion of our revenue is generated under facility ownership and management contracts that specify per diem payments based upon daily occupancy. We are dependent upon the governmental agencies with which we have contracts to provide offenders for facilities we operate. We cannot control occupancy levels at the facilities we operate. Under a per diem rate structure, a decrease in our occupancy rates could cause a decrease in revenue and profitability. For the years 2016, 2015, and 2014, the average compensated occupancy of our facilities, based on rated capacity, was 79%, 83%, and 84%, respectively, for all of the facilities we operated, exclusive of facilities that are leased to third-party operators where our revenue is generally not based on daily occupancy. Occupancy rates may, however, decrease below these levels in the future. When combined with relatively fixed costs for operating each facility, a decrease in occupancy levels could have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

We are dependent on government appropriations, and our results of operations may be negatively affected by governmental budgetary challenges. 

Our cash flow is subject to the receipt of sufficient funding of, and timely payment by, contracting governmental entities. If the appropriate governmental agency does not receive sufficient appropriations to cover its contractual obligations, it may terminate our contract or delay or reduce payment to us. Any delays in payment, or the termination of a contract, could have an adverse effect on our cash flow and financial condition. In addition, federal, state and local governments are constantly under pressure to control additional spending or reduce current levels of spending. In prior years, these pressures have been compounded by economic downturns. Accordingly, we have been requested and may be requested in the future to reduce our existing per diem contract rates or forego prospective increases to those rates. Further, our government partners could reduce offender population levels in facilities we own or manage to contain their correctional costs. In addition, it may become more difficult to renew our existing contracts on favorable terms or otherwise.

 

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Competition may adversely affect the profitability of our business. 

We compete with government entities and other private operators on the basis of bed availability, cost, quality and range of services offered, experience in designing, constructing, and managing facilities, and reputation of management and personnel. While there are barriers to entering the market for the ownership and management of correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities, these barriers may not be sufficient to limit additional competition. In addition, our government customers may assume the management of a facility that they own and we currently manage for them upon the termination of the corresponding management contract or, if such customers have capacity at their facilities, may take offenders and residents currently housed in our facilities and transfer them to government-run facilities. Since we are paid on a per diem basis with no minimum guaranteed occupancy under most of our contracts, the loss of such offenders and residents, and the resulting decrease in occupancy, would cause a decrease in our revenues and profitability.

Resistance to privatization of correctional and detention facilities and escapes or inmate disturbances could result in our inability to obtain new contracts, the loss of existing contracts, or other unforeseen consequences.

The operation of correctional and detention facilities by private entities has not achieved complete acceptance by either governments or the public. The movement toward privatization of correctional and detention facilities has also encountered resistance from certain groups, such as labor unions and others, that believe that correctional and detention facilities should only be operated by governmental agencies. In the past, legislation has been proposed in the United States Congress to prohibit the federal government from entering into contracts with private prison operators and to eliminate state and local contracts for privately run prisons. Further, in September 2017, another bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that could affect private immigrant detention facilities. If enacted as written, the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would, from the day of its enactment, prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from entering into or extending any contract with a private company for an immigrant detention facility. It would also be required to terminate any such contract it had within three years of the law’s passage. While this would impact only our contracts with ICE and would not impact our contracts with BOP or USMS, such legislation runs contrary to our primary business purpose and, if passed, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Moreover, the belief or market perception that such legislation could be passed could have a negative impact on our stock price.

Further, negative publicity about an escape, riot or other disturbance or perceived poor operational performance, contract compliance, or other conditions at a privately managed facility may result in adverse publicity to us and the private corrections industry in general. Any of these occurrences or continued trends may make it more difficult for us to renew or maintain existing contracts or to obtain new contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are subject to terminations, non-renewals, or competitive re-bids of our government contracts.

We typically enter into facility contracts with governmental entities for terms of up to five years, with additional renewal periods at the option of the contracting governmental agency. Notwithstanding any contractual renewal option of a contracting governmental agency, as of December 31, 2016, 44 of our facility contracts with certain customers were scheduled to expire on or before December 31, 2017 but had renewal options (24), or were scheduled to expire on or before December 31, 2017 and had no renewal options (20). Although we generally expect these customers to exercise renewal options or negotiate new contracts with us, one or more of these contracts may not be renewed by the corresponding governmental agency. In addition, these and any other contracting agencies may determine not to exercise renewal options with respect to any of our contracts in the future. Our government partners can also re-bid contracts in a competitive procurement process upon termination or non-renewal of our contract. Competitive re-bids may result from the expiration of the term of a contract, including the initial term and any renewal periods, or the early termination of a contract. Competitive re-bids are often required by applicable federal or state procurement laws periodically in order to

 

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further competitive pricing and other terms for the government agency. The aggregate revenue earned during the year ended December 31, 2016 for the 44 contracts with scheduled maturity dates, notwithstanding contractual renewal options, on or before December 31, 2017 was $647.6 million, or 35% of total revenue.

Our contract with the District of Columbia, or the District, at the D.C. Correctional Treatment Facility was scheduled to expire in the first quarter of 2017. The District assumed operation of the facility in January 2017. We incurred facility net operating losses at the facility of $0.1 million and $0.7 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively, and generated facility net operating income of $1.0 million in 2014. Our investment in the direct financing lease with the District also expired in the first quarter of 2017. Upon expiration of the lease in 2017, ownership of the facility automatically reverted to the District.

During the third quarter of 2016, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or TDCJ, solicited proposals for the rebid of four facilities we managed for the state of Texas. The managed-only contracts for these four facilities were scheduled to expire in August 2017. On March 31, 2017, the TDCJ notified us that, in light of the current economic climate as well as the fiscal constraints and budget outlook for the TDCJ for the next biennium, the TDCJ would not be awarding the contract for the Bartlett State Jail, one of the facilities included in the rebid process. In collaboration with the TDCJ, the decision was made to close the Bartlett facility on June 24, 2017. During the third quarter of 2017, the TDCJ notified us that it selected other operators for the management of the three remaining managed-only facilities that were subject to the rebid. We successfully transferred operations of these facilities to the other operators upon expiration of the contracts. The four facilities we managed for the state of Texas had a total capacity of 5,129 beds and generated total revenue and net operating income of $49.9 million and $2.3 million, respectively, during 2016, and total revenue and net operating income of $23.8 million and $0.3 million, respectively, during the six months ended June 30, 2017.

Based on information available as of the date of this prospectus supplement, notwithstanding the contracts at facilities described above, we expect to renew all other material contracts that have expired or are scheduled to expire within the next twelve months. We believe our renewal rate on existing contracts remains high for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, the constrained supply of available beds within the U.S. correctional system, our ownership of the majority of the beds we operate, and the quality of our operations.

Governmental agencies typically may terminate a facility contract at any time without cause or use the possibility of termination to negotiate a lower per diem rate. In the event any of our contracts are terminated or are not renewed on favorable terms or otherwise, we may not be able to obtain additional replacement contracts. The non-renewal, termination, or competitive re-bid of any of our contracts with governmental agencies could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity, including our ability to secure new facility contracts from others.

Our ability to secure new contracts to develop and manage correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities depends on many factors outside our control.

Our growth is generally dependent upon our ability to obtain new contracts to develop and manage correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities. This possible growth depends on a number of factors we cannot control, including crime rates and sentencing patterns in various jurisdictions, governmental budgetary constraints, and governmental and public acceptance of privatization. The demand for our facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction or parole standards and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by criminal laws. For instance, any changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances or illegal immigration could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them. Immigration reform laws are currently a focus for legislators and politicians at the federal, state, and local level. Legislation has also been proposed in numerous jurisdictions that could lower minimum sentences for some non-violent crimes and make more inmates eligible for early release based on good behavior. Also, sentencing alternatives under consideration could put some offenders on probation with electronic monitoring who would otherwise be incarcerated. Similarly, reductions in crime rates or resources

 

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dedicated to prevent and enforce crime could lead to reductions in arrests, convictions and sentences requiring incarceration at correctional facilities. Our company does not, under longstanding policy, lobby for or against policies or legislation that would determine the basis for, or duration of, an individual’s incarceration or detention.

Moreover, certain jurisdictions recently have required successful bidders to make a significant capital investment in connection with the financing of a particular project, a trend that will require us to have sufficient capital resources to compete effectively. We may compete for such projects with companies that have more financial resources than we have. Further, we may not be able to obtain the capital resources when needed. A prolonged downturn in the financial capital markets could make it more difficult to obtain capital resources at favorable rates of return or obtain capital resources at all.

We may face community opposition to facility location, which may adversely affect our ability to obtain new contracts.

Our success in obtaining new awards and contracts sometimes depends, in part, upon our ability to locate land that can be leased or acquired, on economically favorable terms, by us or other entities working with us in conjunction with our proposal to construct and/or manage a facility. Some locations may be in or near populous areas and, therefore, may generate legal action or other forms of opposition from residents in areas surrounding a proposed site. When selecting project sites, we attempt to conduct business in communities where local leaders and residents generally support the establishment of a privatized correctional, detention or residential reentry facility. Future efforts to find suitable host communities may not be successful. We may incur substantial costs in evaluating the feasibility of the development of a correctional or detention facility. As a result, we may report significant charges if we decide to abandon efforts to develop a correctional or detention facility on a particular site. In many cases, the site selection is made by the contracting governmental entity. In such cases, site selection may be made for reasons related to political and/or economic development interests and may lead to the selection of sites that have less favorable environments.

Providing family residential services increases certain unique risks and difficulties compared to operating our other facilities.

In September 2014, we signed an amended agreement to provide safe and humane residential housing, as well as educational opportunities, to women and children under the custody of ICE, who are awaiting their due process before immigration courts. In October 2016, we entered into an amended agreement that extended the term of the 2014 agreement through September 2021. This is an important service to our federal government partner. At the same time, providing this type of residential service subjects us to unique risks such as unanticipated increased costs and litigation that could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations. For instance, the contract mandates resident to staff ratios that are higher than our typical contract, requires services unique to this contract (e.g. child care and primary education services), and limits the use of security protocols and techniques typically utilized in correctional and detention settings. These operational risks and others associated with privately managing this type of residential facility could result in higher costs associated with staffing and lead to increased litigation.

In June 2015, ICE announced a policy change regarding family unit detention that has shortened the duration of ICE detention for those who are awaiting further process before immigration courts. Public policies and views regarding family detention, as well as proposals pertaining to the most effective means to address families crossing the border illegally, continue to evolve. In addition, numerous lawsuits, to which we are not a party, have challenged the government’s policy of detaining migrant families.

One such lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California concerns a settlement agreement between ICE and a plaintiffs’ class consisting of detained minors, whereby the court issued an order on August 21, 2015, enforcing the settlement agreement and requiring compliance by October 23, 2015. The court’s order clarified that the government has the flexibility to hold class members for longer periods of

 

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time in unlicensed and secure facilities during influxes of large numbers of undocumented migrant families via the southern U.S. border. After announcing its intention to comply fully with the court’s order, the federal government appealed. In July 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed most aspects of the District Court’s order, but ruled that ICE is not required to release a parent simply because the settlement agreement might require release of that parent’s minor child. The impact of these rulings on family residential programs is not yet known.

In December 2016, a Texas state court judge blocked efforts by Texas state officials to license the South Texas Family Residential Center as a child care center, ruling that the state officials lacked authority to license such facilities. The state of Texas has appealed this ruling, and the impact of the judge’s decision on family residential detention programs is not yet known. Any court decision or government action that impacts our existing contract for the South Texas Family Residential Center could materially affect our cash flows, financial condition, and results of operations.

We may incur significant start-up and operating costs on new contracts before receiving related revenues, which may impact our cash flows and not be recouped. 

When we are awarded a contract to provide or manage a facility, we may incur significant start-up and operating expenses, including the cost of constructing the facility, purchasing equipment and staffing the facility, before we receive any payments under the contract. These expenditures could result in a significant reduction in our cash reserves and may make it more difficult for us to meet other cash obligations. In addition, a contract may be terminated prior to its scheduled expiration and as a result we may not recover these expenditures or realize any return on our investment.

We may not be able to successfully identify, consummate or integrate acquisitions.

We have an active acquisition program, the objective of which is to identify suitable acquisition targets that will enhance our growth and diversify our cash flows. The pursuit of acquisitions may pose certain risks to us. We may not be able to identify acquisition candidates that fit our criteria for growth, profitability and diversification strategy. Even if we are able to identify such candidates, we may not be able to acquire them on terms satisfactory to us. We will incur expenses and dedicate attention and resources associated with the review and pursuit of acquisition opportunities, whether or not we consummate such acquisitions.

Additionally, even if we are able to identify and acquire suitable targets on agreeable terms, we may not be able to successfully integrate their operations with ours. Achieving the anticipated benefits of any acquisition will depend in significant part upon whether we integrate such acquired businesses in an efficient and effective manner. We may not be able to achieve the anticipated operating and cost synergies or long-term strategic benefits of our acquisitions within the anticipated timing, or at all. We may also assume liabilities in connection with acquisitions to which we would otherwise not be exposed. An inability to realize the full extent of, or any of, the anticipated synergies or other benefits of an acquisition, as well as any delays that may be encountered in the integration process, which may delay the timing of such synergies or other benefits, could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Government agencies may investigate and audit our contracts, and if any improprieties are found, we may be required to cure those improprieties, refund revenues we have received, or forego anticipated revenues, and we may be subject to penalties and sanctions, including prohibitions on our bidding in response to RFPs. 

Certain of the governmental agencies with which we contract have the authority to audit and investigate our contracts with them. As part of that process, government agencies may review our performance of the contract, our pricing practices, our cost structure and our compliance with applicable performance requirements, laws, regulations and standards. The regulatory and contractual environment in which we operate is complex and many aspects of our operations remain subject to manual processes and oversight that make compliance monitoring difficult and resource intensive. A governmental agency review could result in a request to cure a performance or

 

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compliance issue, and if we are unable to do so, the failure could lead to termination of the contract in question or other contracts that we have with that governmental agency. Similarly, for contracts that actually or effectively provide for certain reimbursement of expenses, if an agency determines that we have improperly allocated costs to a specific contract, we may not be reimbursed for those costs, and we could be required to refund the amount of any such costs that have been reimbursed. If a government audit asserts improper or illegal activities by us, we may be subject to civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, including termination of contracts, forfeitures of profits, suspension of payments, fines and suspension or disqualification from doing business with certain government entities. In addition to the potential civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, any adverse determination with respect to contractual or regulatory violations could negatively impact our ability to bid in response to RFPs in one or more jurisdictions.

Failure to comply with facility contracts or with unique and increased governmental regulation could result in material penalties or non-renewal or termination of noncompliant contracts or our other contracts to provide or manage correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities. 

The industry in which we operate is subject to extensive federal, state, and local regulations, including educational, health care, and safety regulations, which are administered by many regulatory authorities. Some of the regulations are unique to the corrections industry, some are unique to government contractors, and the combination of regulations we face is unique and complex. Facility contracts typically include reporting requirements, supervision, and on-site monitoring by representatives of the contracting governmental agencies. Corrections officers are customarily required to meet certain training standards and, in some instances, facility personnel are required to be licensed and subject to background investigation. Certain jurisdictions also require us to award subcontracts on a competitive basis or to subcontract with certain types of businesses, such as small businesses and businesses owned by members of minority groups. Our facilities are also subject to operational and financial audits by the governmental agencies with which we have contracts. Federal regulations also require federal government contractors like us to self-report evidence of certain forms of misconduct. We may not always successfully comply with these regulations and contract requirements, and failure to comply can result in material penalties, including financial penalties, non-renewal or termination of noncompliant contracts or our other facility contracts, and suspension or debarment from contracting with certain government entities.

In addition, private prison managers are subject to government legislation and regulation attempting to restrict the ability of private prison managers to house certain types of inmates, such as inmates from other jurisdictions or inmates at medium or higher security levels. Legislation has been enacted in several states, and has previously been proposed in the United States Congress, containing such restrictions. Such legislation may have an adverse effect on us.

Our inmate transportation subsidiary, TransCor, is subject to regulations promulgated by the Departments of Transportation and Justice. TransCor must also comply with the Interstate Transportation of Dangerous Criminals Act of 2000, which covers operational aspects of transporting prisoners, including, but not limited to, background checks and drug testing of employees; employee training; employee hours; staff-to-inmate ratios; prisoner restraints; communication with local law enforcement; and standards to help ensure the safety of prisoners during transport. We are subject to changes in such regulations, which could result in an increase in the cost of our transportation operations.

On June 13, 2017, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, or the Court, struck down large portions of a late 2016 Order, or the Order, from the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, which regulates telecommunications. The Order had set numerous rate caps on interstate and intrastate calling services, or ICS, and applied directly to ICS providers who offer their services pursuant to contracts with correctional facilities, including those that we manage. The Court found that the FCC lacked authority to regulate intrastate ICS rates. The Court also found that the FCC had neglected critical factors in calculating interstate rate caps, remanding the interstate rate proceeding back to the FCC for reconsideration. As a result of the Court’s decision, an earlier FCC order setting interstate rate caps remains in effect.

 

 

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Because it is unclear what, if any, further rate capping action the FCC may take as regards interstate ICS rates, the financial impact cannot be anticipated at this time. The impact to our revenue is limited as a significant amount of commissions paid by our ICS providers are passed along to our customers or are reserved and used for the benefit of inmates in our care.

In previous notices, the FCC sought comment on various topics including the development of international ICS rate caps; the potential regulation of rates associated with technology based ICS alternatives, such as videoconferencing; and whether additional reforms are necessary for effective regulation of revenue sharing agreements. All of these reforms, if pursued, could impact revenue to correctional facility operators, both public and private, but the most recent decision by the Court appears to limit FCC jurisdiction in some of these areas. For this reason, it remains unclear whether the FCC will undertake further regulatory activity in these fields.

We depend on a limited number of governmental customers for a significant portion of our revenues. 

We currently derive, and expect to continue to derive, a significant portion of our revenues from a limited number of governmental agencies. The loss of, or a significant decrease in, business from the BOP, ICE, USMS, or various state agencies could seriously harm our financial condition and results of operations. The three primary federal governmental agencies with correctional and detention responsibilities, the BOP, ICE, and USMS, accounted for 52% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 ($953.9 million). ICE accounted for 28% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 ($511.8 million), USMS accounted for 15% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 ($277.2 million), and BOP accounted for 9% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 ($164.9 million). Although the revenue generated from each of these agencies is derived from numerous management contracts, the loss or substantial reduction in value of one or more of such contracts could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. We expect to continue to depend upon these federal agencies and a relatively small group of other governmental customers for a significant percentage of our revenues.

Revenue from our South Texas Family Residential Center was $267.3 million in 2016, and was $85.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, reflecting the aforementioned amendment executed in October 2016. The loss or further reduction in value of this contract would have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Approximately 6% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 ($113.4 million) was generated from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the CDCR, in facilities housing inmates outside the state of California, a decrease from $170.5 million, or 10% of our total revenues in 2015, and $204.4 million, or 12% of our total revenues, in 2014. Approximately 6% of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2017 ($51.6 million) was generated from the CDCR in facilities housing inmates outside the state of California, a decrease from $57.6 million, or 6%, of our total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2016.

During the first quarter of 2015, the adult inmate population held in state of California institutions first met a Federal court order to reduce inmate populations below 137.5% of its capacity. Inmate populations in the state continued to decline below the court ordered capacity limit which has resulted in declining inmate populations in the out-of-state program at facilities we own and operate. However, California state inmate populations have increased during 2017. As of June 30, 2017, the adult inmate population held in state of California institutions remained in compliance with the Federal court order at approximately 135.5% of capacity, or approximately 115,000 inmates, which did not include the California inmates held in our out-of-state facilities, compared with 114,000 inmates at December 31, 2016.

In June 2017, the Governor of California signed a budget for fiscal 2017-2018. The budget contemplates that implementation of initiatives to reduce prison populations will allow the CDCR to remove all inmates from

 

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one of our two remaining out-of-state facilities in fiscal 2017-2018. Additionally, as a result of such prison population reduction initiatives, the CDCR anticipates reducing inmate populations from our other out-of-state facility in calendar year 2018. Although the budget acknowledges that estimates of population reductions are preliminary and subject to considerable uncertainty, we can provide no assurance that we would be able to replace the cash flows associated with our contract with the CDCR if CDCR inmates are removed from our Tallahatchie and La Palma facilities. An elimination of the use of our out-of-state solutions by the state of California would have a significant adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

We are dependent upon our senior management and our ability to attract and retain sufficient qualified personnel.

The success of our business depends in large part on the ability and experience of our senior management. The unexpected loss of any of these persons could materially adversely affect our business and operations.

In addition, the services we provide are labor-intensive. When we are awarded a facility management contract or open a new facility, we must hire operating management, correctional officers, and other personnel. The success of our business requires that we attract, develop, and retain these personnel. Our inability to hire sufficient qualified personnel on a timely basis or the loss of significant numbers of personnel at existing facilities could adversely affect our business and operations. Under many of our contracts, we are subject to financial penalties for insufficient staffing.

Adverse developments in our relationship with our employees could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

As of December 31, 2016, we employed 13,755 employees. Approximately 790 of our employees at four of our facilities, or approximately 6% of our workforce, are represented by labor unions. We have not experienced a strike or work stoppage at any of our facilities and, in the opinion of management, overall employee relations are good. New executive orders, administrative rules and changes in National Labor Relations could increase organizational activity at locations where employees are currently not represented by a labor organization. Increases in organizational activity or any future work stoppages could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

We are subject to necessary insurance costs.

Workers’ compensation, auto liability, employee health, and general liability insurance represent significant costs to us. Because we are significantly self-insured for workers’ compensation, auto liability, employee health, and general liability risks, the amount of our insurance expense is dependent on claims experience, our ability to control our claims experience, and in the case of workers’ compensation and employee health, rising health care costs in general. Unanticipated additional insurance costs could adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows, and the failure to obtain or maintain any necessary insurance coverage could have a material adverse effect on us.

We may be adversely affected by inflation.

Many of our facility contracts provide for fixed fees or fees that increase by only small amounts during their terms. If, due to inflation or other causes, our operating expenses, such as wages and salaries of our employees, insurance, medical, and food costs, increase at rates faster than increases, if any, in our revenues, then our profitability would be adversely affected.

 

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We are subject to legal proceedings associated with owning and managing correctional and detention facilities.

Our ownership and management of correctional and detention facilities, and the provision of inmate transportation services by a subsidiary, expose us to potential third-party claims or litigation by prisoners or other persons relating to personal injury or other damages resulting from contact with a facility, its managers, personnel or other prisoners, including damages arising from a prisoner’s escape from, or a disturbance or riot at, a facility we own or manage, or from the misconduct of our employees. To the extent the events serving as a basis for any potential claims are alleged or determined to constitute illegal or criminal activity, we could also be subject to criminal liability. Such liability could result in significant monetary fines and could affect our ability to bid on future contracts and retain our existing contracts. In addition, as an owner of real property, we may be subject to a variety of proceedings relating to personal injuries of persons at such facilities. The claims against our facilities may be significant and may not be covered by insurance. Even in cases covered by insurance, our deductible (or self-insured retention) may be significant.

We are subject to certain shareholder litigation.

In a memorandum to the BOP dated August 18, 2016, the United States Department of Justice, or the DOJ, directed that, as each contract with privately operated prisons reaches the end of its term, the BOP should either decline to renew that contract or substantially reduce its scope in a manner consistent with law and the overall decline of the BOP’s inmate population. In addition to the decline in the BOP’s inmate population, the DOJ memorandum cites purported operational, programming, and cost efficiency factors as reasons for the DOJ directive. On February 21, 2017, the newly appointed U.S. Attorney General issued a memorandum rescinding the DOJ’s prior directive stating the August 18, 2016 memorandum changed long-standing policy and practice and impaired the BOP’s ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system.

Following the release of the August 18, 2016 DOJ memorandum, a purported securities class action lawsuit was filed against us and certain of our current and former officers in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, captioned Grae v. Corrections Corporation of America et al., Case No. 3:16-cv-02267. The lawsuit is brought on behalf of a putative class of shareholders who purchased or acquired our securities between February 27, 2012 and August 17, 2016. In general, the lawsuit alleges that, during this timeframe, our public statements were false and/or misleading regarding the purported operational, programming, and cost efficiency factors cited in the DOJ memorandum and, as a result, our stock price was artificially inflated. The lawsuit alleges that the publication of the DOJ memorandum on August 18, 2016 revealed the alleged fraud, causing the per share price of our stock to decline, thereby causing harm to the putative class of shareholders. We believe the lawsuit is entirely without merit, and intend to vigorously defend against it. We have submitted a motion to dismiss and are awaiting a ruling on such motion. In addition, we maintain insurance, with certain self-insured retention amounts, to cover the alleged claims which mitigates the risk such litigation would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

We are subject to risks associated with ownership of real estate.

Our ownership of correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities subjects us to risks typically associated with investments in real estate. Investments in real estate and, in particular, correctional and detention facilities have limited or no alternative use and thus are relatively illiquid. Therefore, our ability to divest ourselves of one or more of our facilities promptly in response to changing conditions is limited. Investments in correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities subject us to risks involving potential exposure to environmental liability and uninsured loss. Our operating costs may be affected by the obligation to pay for the cost of complying with existing environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, as well as the cost of complying with future legislation. In addition, although we maintain insurance for many types of losses, there are certain types of losses, such as losses from earthquakes and acts of terrorism, which may be either uninsurable or for

 

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which it may not be economically feasible to obtain insurance coverage in light of the substantial costs associated with such insurance. As a result, we could lose both our capital invested in, and anticipated profits from, one or more of the facilities we own. Further, it is possible to experience losses that may exceed the limits of insurance coverage.

In addition, facility development and expansion projects pose additional risks, including cost overruns caused by various factors, many of which are beyond our control, such as weather, labor conditions, and material shortages, resulting in increased construction costs. Further, if we are unable to utilize the new bed capacity, our financial results could deteriorate.

Certain of our facilities are subject to options to purchase and reversions. 

Eleven of our facilities are subject to an option to purchase by certain governmental agencies, including the aforementioned D.C. Correctional Treatment Facility, ownership of which reverted to the District in the first quarter of 2017. Such options are exercisable by the corresponding contracting governmental entity generally at any time during the term of the respective facility contract. Certain of these purchase options are based on the depreciated book value of the facility, which essentially results in the transfer of ownership of the facility to the governmental agency at the end of the life used for accounting purposes. See “Business — Facility Portfolio — Facilities and Facility Management Contracts” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. If any of these options are exercised, there exists the risk that we will be unable to invest the proceeds from the sale of the facility in one or more properties that yield as much cash flow as the property acquired by the government entity. In addition, in the event any of these options is exercised, there exists the risk that the contracting governmental agency will terminate the management contract associated with such facility. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the eleven facilities currently subject to these options generated $354.8 million in revenue (19.2% of total revenue) and incurred $272.0 million in operating expenses. Certain of the options to purchase are exercisable at prices below fair market value. See “Business — Facility Portfolio — Facilities and Facility Management Contracts” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

Risks related to facility construction and development activities may increase our costs related to such activities. 

When we are engaged to perform construction and design services for a facility, we typically act as the primary contractor and subcontract with other companies who act as the general contractors. As primary contractor, we are subject to the various risks associated with construction (including, without limitation, shortages of labor and materials, work stoppages, labor disputes, and weather interference which could cause construction delays). In addition, we are subject to the risk that the general contractor will be unable to complete construction at the budgeted costs or be unable to fund any excess construction costs, even though we require general contractors to post construction bonds and insurance. Under such contracts, we are ultimately liable for all late delivery penalties and cost overruns.

We may be adversely affected by an increase in costs or difficulty of obtaining adequate levels of surety credit on favorable terms.

We are often required to post bid or performance bonds issued by a surety company as a condition to bidding on or being awarded a contract. Availability and pricing of these surety commitments are subject to general market and industry conditions, among other factors. Increases in surety costs could adversely affect our operating results if we are unable to effectively pass along such increases to our customers. We cannot assure you that we will have continued access to surety credit or that we will be able to secure bonds economically, without additional collateral, or at the levels required for any potential facility development or contract bids. If we are unable to obtain adequate levels of surety credit on favorable terms, we would have to rely upon letters of

 

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credit under our Credit Facility, which could entail higher costs even if such borrowing capacity was available when desired at the time, and our ability to bid for or obtain new contracts could be impaired.

Interruption, delay or failure of the provision of our technology services or information systems, or the compromise of the security thereof, could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Components of our business depend significantly on effective information systems and technologies. As with all companies that utilize information systems, we are vulnerable to negative impacts if the operation of those systems is interrupted, delayed, or certain information contained therein is compromised. As a matter of course, we exchange data with our government partners and other third-party providers. We employ industry-standard methodologies to ensure the availability and security of such systems and information. Despite the security measures we have in place, and any additional measures we may implement in the future, our facilities and systems, and those of our third-party service providers, could be vulnerable to security breaches, computer viruses, lost or misplaced data, programming errors, human errors, acts of vandalism, or other events. For example, several well-known companies have recently disclosed high-profile security breaches involving sophisticated and highly targeted attacks on their company’s infrastructure or their customers’ data, which were not recognized or detected until after such companies had been affected notwithstanding the preventative measures they had in place. Any security breach or event resulting in the interruption, delay or failure of our services or information systems, or the misappropriation, loss, or other unauthorized disclosure of customer data or confidential information, including confidential information about our employees, whether by us directly or our third-party service providers, could damage our reputation, expose us to the risks of litigation and liability, disrupt our business, result in lost business, or otherwise adversely affect our results of operations.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of the notes offered by this prospectus supplement will be approximately $246.3 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and our estimated offering expenses.

We intend to use substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering to repay a portion of the borrowings outstanding under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility and to pay related fees and expenses and, to the extent not used for the foregoing purposes, for working capital and other general corporate purposes, which may include investments.

At June 30, 2017, we had approximately $411.0 million of outstanding borrowings under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility. Borrowings under our Credit Facility are generally used to take advantage of targeted growth opportunities, including the acquisition, expansion, and development of new correctional, detention and reentry facilities and other real estate assets used to provide mission critical government services. The principal balance of our Credit Facility is due at maturity in July 2020 and the weighted average interest rate on borrowings was 2.6% per annum at June 30, 2017 and 2.2% per annum at December 31, 2016. See “Description of Certain Other Indebtedness.”

Affiliates of the underwriters are agents and lenders under our Credit Facility (including Bank of America, N.A., an affiliate of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, which is the administrative agent under the Credit Facility) and will receive a portion of the offering proceeds as a result of our repayment of a portion of the borrowings outstanding under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility. See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest).”

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our unaudited consolidated cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of June 30, 2017 (1) on an actual basis and (2) on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance and sale by us of the notes in this offering, after deducting the underwriting discounts and our estimated offering expenses, as well as the application of the net proceeds thereof to repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings under our Credit Facility and to pay related fees and expenses as described under “Use of Proceeds.”

You should read this table in conjunction with the other sections of this prospectus supplement and our consolidated financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. See “Incorporation of Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.

 

		As of June 30, 2017
(dollars in thousands)		Actual				As Adjusted
Cash and cash equivalents		$	46,584			$	46,584
Debt (including current maturities):
$900 million revolving credit facility(1)		$	411,000			$	164,750
Term Loan			90,000				90,000
4.125% Senior Notes due 2020			325,000				325,000
4.625% Senior Notes due 2023			350,000				350,000
5.00% Senior Notes due 2022			250,000				250,000
4.75% Senior Notes due 2027 offered hereby			—				250,000
Total long-term debt		$	1,426,000			$	1,429,750
Stockholders’ equity:
Total stockholders’ equity		$	1,463,344			$	1,463,344
Total capitalization		$	2,889,344			$	2,893,094

 

(1)	Amounts shown do not include an additional approximately $7.5 million of outstanding letters of credit as of June 30, 2017.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN OTHER INDEBTEDNESS

Credit Facility

In January 2012, CoreCivic entered into an amended and restated $900.0 million senior secured credit agreement, which was amended in March 2013, July 2015 and October 2015. The revolving credit component of the credit facility provided pursuant to the credit agreement has an aggregate principal capacity of $900.0 million and a maturity of July 2020. Our credit agreement also has an “accordion” feature that provides for uncommitted incremental extensions of credit in the form of increases in the revolving commitments or incremental term loans in an aggregate principal amount up to an additional $350.0 million, as requested by CoreCivic, subject to approval of the lenders committing to provide same. At CoreCivic’s option, interest on outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility accrues either at a base rate plus a margin ranging from 0.00% to 0.75% or at LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.75%, in each case based on CoreCivic’s total leverage ratio. Commitment fees are payable in respect of the unused portion (swingline loans are not considered usage) of the revolving credit facility at rates ranging from 0.25% per annum to 0.40% per annum based on CoreCivic’s total leverage ratio. The revolving credit facility includes a $30.0 million sublimit for swingline loans that enables CoreCivic to borrow from the Administrative Agent without advance notice at the base rate plus the applicable margin, and a $50 million sublimit for the issuance of standby letters of credit.

Based on CoreCivic’s current total leverage ratio, loans under the revolving credit facility bear interest at a base rate plus a margin of 0.50% or at LIBOR plus a margin of 1.50%, and a commitment fee accrues at 0.35% per annum of the unused portion of the revolving credit commitments. As of June 30, 2017, CoreCivic had $411.0 million in borrowings as well as $7.5 million in letters of credit outstanding under our revolving credit facility, resulting in remaining availability of $481.5 million.

The credit facility is secured by a pledge of all of the capital stock of CoreCivic’s domestic subsidiaries, 65% of the capital stock of CoreCivic’s foreign subsidiaries, all of CoreCivic’s accounts receivable, and all of CoreCivic’s deposit accounts. The credit agreement provides for the release of such collateral if at any time at least two of the following three rating agencies have published at least the following corporate family or corporate rating of CoreCivic (with a stable or better outlook): (i) Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., (ii) BBB- by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC, a subsidiary of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and (iii) BBB- by Fitch, Inc., and no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing, subject to reinstatement of the collateral if such minimum ratings requirement is no longer satisfied. The credit agreement requires CoreCivic to comply with certain financial covenants, including, without limitation, a maximum total leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, and a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio. As of June 30, 2017, CoreCivic was in compliance with all such covenants. In addition, the credit agreement contains certain covenants that, among other things, restrict indebtedness, liens and other encumbrances, mergers, consolidations, liquidations, asset dispositions, payment of dividends and other customary restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, prepayments and modifications of other indebtedness and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. In addition, the credit facility is subject to certain cross-default provisions with other CoreCivic indebtedness, and is subject to acceleration upon the occurrence of a change of control.

On October 6, 2015, CoreCivic borrowed $100.0 million as an incremental term loan under the “accordion” feature of the credit agreement. Interest rates under the term loan are the same as the interest rates under the revolving credit facility. The term loan is pre-payable and has a maturity concurrent with the revolving credit facility, with scheduled quarterly principal payments in years 2016 through 2020. As of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the outstanding balance of the term loan was $90.0 million and $95.0 million, respectively.

Other Unsecured Senior Notes

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October 15, 2022. Interest on the 2020 Senior Notes is payable on April 1 and October 1 of each year, interest on the 2023 Senior Notes is payable on May 1 and November 1 of each year, and interest on the 2022 Senior Notes is payable on April 15 and October 15 of each year. The Existing Senior Notes are our senior unsecured obligations and are guaranteed by all of our subsidiaries that guarantee the Credit Facility. We may redeem all or part of the Existing Senior Notes at any time prior to three months before their respective maturity dates at a “make-whole” redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date. Thereafter, the Existing Senior Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF NOTES

You can find the definitions of certain terms used in this description under the subheading “— Certain Definitions.” In this description, the word “CoreCivic” refers only to CoreCivic, Inc. and not to any of its Subsidiaries.

CoreCivic will issue the 4.75% Senior Notes due 2027, or the Notes, under a base indenture, dated as of September 25, 2015 between itself and U.S. Bank National Association, the trustee, as amended and supplemented by a second supplemental indenture, among CoreCivic, the Guarantors and the trustee. For convenience, the base indenture, as amended and supplemented by the second supplemental indenture, is referred to as the Indenture. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act.

The following description is a summary of the material provisions of the Indenture. It does not restate that agreement in its entirety. We urge you to read the Indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a Holder of the Notes. Certain defined terms used in this description but not defined below under “— Certain Definitions” have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

The registered Holder of a Note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes. Only registered Holders will have rights under the Indenture and the Notes.

Brief Description of the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees

The Notes

The Notes:

 

•

will be general unsecured obligations of CoreCivic;

 

•

will be equal in right of payment with each other and with all existing and future unsecured senior Indebtedness of CoreCivic;

 

•

will be senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of CoreCivic; and

 

•

will be guaranteed by the Guarantors.

However, the Notes will be effectively subordinated to all secured indebtedness, including borrowings under the Credit Agreement, which is secured by a pledge of the Capital Stock of CoreCivic’s Domestic Subsidiaries and 65% of the Capital Stock of CoreCivic’s “first-tier” foreign subsidiaries and all of the accounts receivable and deposit accounts of CoreCivic and its Domestic Subsidiaries, to the extent of the value of the collateral therefor. The Credit Agreement provides for the release of such collateral if at any time at least two of the following three rating agencies have published at least the following corporate family or corporate rating of CoreCivic (stable or better outlook): (i) Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., (ii) BBB- by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC, a subsidiary of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and (iii) BBB- by Fitch, Inc., and no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, subject to reinstatement of the collateral if such minimum ratings requirement is no longer satisfied. See “Description of Certain Other Indebtedness — Credit Facility”.

The Subsidiary Guarantees

The Notes will be guaranteed by all of CoreCivic’s existing Domestic Subsidiaries (as defined) and future subsidiaries that execute guarantees in accordance with the terms of the Indenture as described in “Covenants —Additional Subsidiary Guarantees.”

 

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Each Subsidiary Guarantee of the Notes:

 

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will be a general senior unsecured obligation of such Guarantor;

 

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will be equal in right of payment with each other and to all existing and future senior unsecured Indebtedness of that Guarantor;

 

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will be senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of that Guarantor; and

 

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will be effectively subordinate to any obligations of such Guarantor under any existing or future secured indebtedness (including obligations under our Credit Agreement), to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such obligations.

Not all of CoreCivic’s existing Subsidiaries will guarantee the Notes. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of any of these non-guarantor Subsidiaries, the non-guarantor Subsidiaries will pay the holders of their debt and their trade creditors before they will be able to distribute any of their assets to CoreCivic. The non-guarantor Subsidiaries generated none of CoreCivic’s consolidated revenues in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and in the six months ended June 30, 2017, and owned none of CoreCivic’s consolidated assets at all times throughout such periods. The non-guarantor Subsidiaries have no outstanding third-party debt.

Principal, Maturity and Interest

CoreCivic will issue $250.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Notes in this offering. CoreCivic may issue additional Notes under the Indenture from time to time after this offering in one or a series of transactions, without the consent of Holders of the Notes. The Notes and any additional notes subsequently issued under the Indenture will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture, including, without limitation, redemption of Notes, offers to purchase Notes and the percentage of Notes required to consent to waivers of provisions of, and amendments to, the Indenture. The Indenture provides that CoreCivic will issue Notes in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Notes will mature on October 15, 2027.

Interest on the Notes will accrue at the rate of 4.75% per annum and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15, commencing on April 15, 2018. We will make each interest payment to the Holders of record on the close of business on the immediately preceding April 1 and October 1, respectively.

Interest on the Notes will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes

If a Holder of Notes has given wire transfer instructions to CoreCivic, CoreCivic will pay all principal, interest and premium, if any, on that Holder’s Notes in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the Notes will be made at the office or agency of the paying agent and registrar within the City and State of New York unless CoreCivic elects to make interest payments by check mailed to the Holders at their address set forth in the register of Holders.

Paying Agent and Registrar for the Notes

The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar for the Notes. CoreCivic may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the Holders of the Notes, and CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

 

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Transfer and Exchange

A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The registrar and the trustee may require a Holder to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of Notes. Holders will be required to pay all taxes due on transfer. CoreCivic will not be required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption. Also, CoreCivic will not be required to transfer or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

Subsidiary Guarantees

The Notes will be guaranteed by each of CoreCivic’s current and future Subsidiaries that are guarantors of a Credit Facility of CoreCivic or any other Guarantor. These Subsidiary Guarantees will be joint and several obligations of the Guarantors. The obligations of each Guarantor under a Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent such Subsidiary Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law or a violation of State law prohibiting shareholder distributions by an insolvent subsidiary. See “Risk Factors —Risks Related to the Offering — The notes are effectively subordinated to our secured indebtedness and structurally subordinated to any indebtedness of any non-guarantor subsidiaries.”

The Subsidiary Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:

(1) in connection with any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Subsidiary of CoreCivic;

(2) in connection with any sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of a Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Subsidiary of CoreCivic;

(3) upon Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance of the Notes, as described in “— Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance”; or

(4) if such Guarantor is released from its guarantee under all of the Credit Facilities of CoreCivic and the Guarantors (including as a result of such Credit Facilities ceasing to be outstanding).

Optional Redemption

At any time before July 15, 2027, the Notes are redeemable at our election, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

(1) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

(2) as determined by an Independent Investment Banker, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate for the Notes, plus 50 basis points;

plus, in either of the above cases, accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption on the notes to be redeemed.

On or after July 15, 2027 (three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes), the Notes are redeemable at our election, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

 

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If the optional redemption date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business on such record date.

Unless CoreCivic defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption.

Selection and Notice

If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the trustee will select Notes for redemption as follows:

(1) if the Notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Notes are listed; or

(2) if the Notes are not listed on any national securities exchange, on a pro rata basis unless otherwise required by law.

No Notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part. Notices of redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.

If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that Note will state the portion of the principal amount of that Note that is to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Note will be issued in the name of the Holder of Notes upon cancellation of the original Note. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions of them called for redemption.

Mandatory Redemption

CoreCivic is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, CoreCivic will make an offer (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to the date of purchase (the “Change of Control Payment”). Within 10 business days following any Change of Control, CoreCivic will mail a notice to each Holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and offering to repurchase Notes on the Change of Control Payment Date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, pursuant to the procedures required by the Indenture and described in such notice. CoreCivic will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions of the Indenture, CoreCivic will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions of the Indenture by virtue of such conflict.

 

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On the Change of Control Payment Date, CoreCivic will, to the extent lawful:

(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(2) deposit with the applicable paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an officers’ certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by CoreCivic.

The paying agent will promptly mail to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

CoreCivic will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.

Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the Indenture does not contain provisions that permit the Holders of the Notes to require that CoreCivic repurchase or redeem the Notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.

CoreCivic will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by CoreCivic and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer.

The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating to the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of CoreCivic and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a Holder of Notes to require CoreCivic to repurchase its Notes as a result of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets of CoreCivic and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another Person or group may be uncertain.

The Credit Agreement contains, and other Indebtedness of CoreCivic may contain, prohibitions on, or an event of default arising from, the occurrence of events that would constitute a Change of Control or require that Indebtedness be repurchased upon a Change of Control. Moreover, the exercise by the Holders of their right to require CoreCivic to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control would cause a default under the Credit Agreement and may do so under other Indebtedness even if the Change of Control itself does not.

If a Change of Control Offer occurs, there can be no assurance that CoreCivic will have available funds sufficient to make the Change of Control Payment for all of the Notes that might be delivered by Holders seeking to accept the Change of Control Offer. In the event CoreCivic is required to purchase outstanding Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer, CoreCivic expects that it would seek third-party financing to the extent it does not have available funds to meet its purchase obligations and any other obligations in respect of its other indebtedness. However, there can be no assurance that CoreCivic would be able to obtain necessary financing. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to our Indebtedness — We are required to repurchase all or a portion of our senior notes, including the notes offered hereby, upon a change of control, and our Credit Facility is subject to acceleration upon a change of control.”

 

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Under clause (5) of the definition of Change of Control, a Change of Control will occur when a majority of CoreCivic’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors. In a decision in connection with a proxy contest, the Delaware Court of Chancery held that the occurrence of a change of control under a similar indenture provision may nevertheless be avoided if the existing directors were to approve the slate of new director nominees (who would constitute a majority of the new board) as “continuing directors”, provided the incumbent directors give their approval in the good faith exercise of their fiduciary duties owed to the corporation and its stockholders. CoreCivic is incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland and, therefore, the Delaware decisions will not be binding on it. Nevertheless, in certain circumstances involving a significant change in the composition of CoreCivic’s Board of Directors, including in connection with a proxy contest where CoreCivic’s Board of Directors does not endorse a dissident slate of directors but approves them as Continuing Directors, there exists the possibility that Holders of the Notes may not be entitled to require CoreCivic to make a Change of Control Offer.

Covenants

Limitations on Liens

CoreCivic will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of their Principal Properties, now owned or hereafter acquired securing Indebtedness, unless all payments due under the Indenture and the Notes are secured on an equal and ratable basis with the obligations so secured until such time as such obligations are no longer secured by a Lien.

Reports

Whether or not required by the SEC, so long as any Notes are outstanding, CoreCivic will furnish to the Holders of Notes that are outstanding, within 5 days of the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations:

(1) all quarterly and annual financial and other information that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if CoreCivic were required to file such Forms, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to the annual information only, a report on the annual financial statements by CoreCivic’s certified independent accountants; and

(2) all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if CoreCivic were required to file such reports.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, CoreCivic will be deemed to have furnished any information or reports specified in the immediately preceding paragraph, upon CoreCivic’s filing with the SEC of its required reports within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations and such information and or reports are publicly available.

In addition, whether or not required by the SEC, CoreCivic will file a copy of all of the information and reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above with the SEC for public availability within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations (unless the SEC will not accept such a filing) and make such information available to prospective investors upon request.

Additional Subsidiary Guarantees

If any Subsidiary of CoreCivic that is not a Guarantor enters into a Guarantee of a Credit Facility of CoreCivic or another Guarantor, that Subsidiary will become a Guarantor of the Notes and will execute a supplemental indenture and deliver an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the trustee within ten business days of the date on which it was joined to such Credit Facility.

 

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Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

CoreCivic shall not, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person or group of affiliated Persons, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to enter into any such transaction or transactions if such transaction or transactions, in the aggregate, would result in an assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of CoreCivic and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any other Person or group of affiliated Persons, unless at the time and after giving effect thereto:

(1) either: (a) CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries is the surviving corporation; or (b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made is a corporation organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia;

(2) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the obligations of CoreCivic under the Notes and the Indenture pursuant to an agreement reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; and

(3) immediately after such transaction no Default or Event of Default exists.

The covenant described under this caption “Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” will not apply to: (i) a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of assets between or among CoreCivic and any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any merger of a Subsidiary of CoreCivic into CoreCivic or another Subsidiary of CoreCivic; (iii) any merger of CoreCivic into a wholly-owned Subsidiary created for the purpose of holding the Equity Interests of CoreCivic; or (iv) a merger between CoreCivic and a newly-created Affiliate incorporated solely for the purpose of reincorporating CoreCivic in another State of the United States.

Events of Default and Remedies

The Indenture will provide that any of the following will constitute an Event of Default:

(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on the Notes;

(2) default in payment when due of the principal of, or premium, if any, on the Notes;

(3) failure by CoreCivic to comply with the provisions described under the captions “Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control,” or “Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” with respect to the Notes;

(4) failure by CoreCivic or any Guarantor for 60 consecutive days after notice to CoreCivic by the trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class to comply with any of the other agreements in the Indenture;

(5) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by CoreCivic or any Guarantor (or the payment of which is guaranteed by CoreCivic or any Guarantor) whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created after the Issue Date, if that default:

(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a “Payment Default”); or

(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity, and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $50.0 million or more;

 

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(6) failure by CoreCivic or any Guarantor to pay final judgments entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction aggregating in excess of $50.0 million, which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days;

(7) except as permitted by the Indenture, any Subsidiary Guarantee shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee; and

(8) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency described in the Indenture with respect to CoreCivic or any Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary.

In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, with respect to CoreCivic, any Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.

Holders of the Notes may not enforce the Indenture except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default if it determines that withholding such notice is in their interest, except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal, premium or interest.

The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on, the principal of, and the premium on the Notes.

CoreCivic is required to deliver to the trustee annually a written statement regarding compliance with the Indenture. Upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, CoreCivic is required to deliver to the trustee a written statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders

No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of CoreCivic or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of CoreCivic or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

CoreCivic may, at its option and at any time, elect to have all of its obligations discharged with respect to the outstanding Notes and all obligations of the Guarantors discharged with respect to their Subsidiary Guarantees (“Legal Defeasance”) except for:

(1) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the Notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to below;

 

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(2) CoreCivic’s obligations with respect to the Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;

(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee, and CoreCivic’s and the Guarantors’ obligations in connection therewith; and

(4) the Legal Defeasance provisions of the Indenture.

In addition, CoreCivic may, at its option and at any time, elect to have the obligations of CoreCivic and the Guarantors released with respect to certain covenants that are described in the Indenture (“Covenant Defeasance”) and thereafter any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes. In the event Covenant Defeasance occurs, all Events of Default (not including non-payment on the Notes, bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation and insolvency events) described above under the caption “— Events of Default and Remedies” will no longer constitute an Event of Default with respect to the Notes.

In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:

(1) CoreCivic must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on the outstanding Notes on the stated date for payment or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and CoreCivic must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular redemption date;

(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, CoreCivic has delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that (a) CoreCivic has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (b) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, CoreCivic has delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(4) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit);

(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any material agreement or instrument (other than the Indenture and the agreements governing any other indebtedness being defeased, discharged or replaced) to which CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;

(6) CoreCivic must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the deposit was not made by CoreCivic with the intent of preferring the Holders of Notes over the other creditors of CoreCivic or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of CoreCivic or others; and

(7) CoreCivic must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

 

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Amendment, Supplement and Waiver

Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of or tender offer for the Notes), and any existing default or compliance with any provision of the Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of or tender offer for the Notes).

Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):

(1) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(2) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes (other than provisions relating to the covenant described above under the caption “Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control”);

(3) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any Note;

(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(5) make any Note payable in currency other than that stated in the Notes;

(6) make any change in the provisions of the Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the Notes;

(7) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Note (other than a payment required by the covenant described above under the caption “Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control”);

(8) release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or the Indenture, except in accordance with the terms of the Indenture;

(9) modify or change any provision of the Indenture or the related definitions to affect the ranking of the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee in a manner that adversely affects the Holders; provided, however, that any modification of the provisions of the Indenture relating to the ability of CoreCivic or any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or otherwise suffer to exist or become effective any Lien securing Indebtedness shall not constitute a modification or change that affects the ranking of the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee; or

(10) make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions.

Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any Holder of Notes, CoreCivic, the Guarantors and the trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes:

(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

(2) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes;

(3) to provide for the assumption of CoreCivic’s obligations to Holders of Notes in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of CoreCivic’s assets;

(4) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of Notes that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such Holder;

 

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(5) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(6) to conform the text of the Indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantees or the Notes to any provision of this Description of Notes;

(7) to provide for the issuance of additional Notes; or

(8) to allow a Subsidiary to execute a supplemental indenture for the purpose of providing a guarantee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

Satisfaction and Discharge

The Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued thereunder, when:

(1) either:

(a) all Notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to CoreCivic, have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or

(b) all Notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year, and CoreCivic or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;

(2) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and any similar deposit relating to other Indebtedness and, in each case, the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings) or will occur as a result of the deposit and the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other instrument to which CoreCivic or any Guarantor is a party or by which CoreCivic or any Guarantor is bound (other than with respect to the borrowing of funds to be applied concurrently to make the deposit required to effect such satisfaction and discharge and any similar concurrent deposit relating to other Indebtedness, and in each case, the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings);

(3) CoreCivic or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under the Indenture; and

(4) CoreCivic has delivered irrevocable instructions to the trustee under the Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be.

In addition, CoreCivic must deliver an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

Concerning the Trustee

If the trustee becomes a creditor of CoreCivic or any Guarantor, the Indenture limits the right of the trustee to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if it

 

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acquires any conflicting interest, as described in the Trust Indenture Act, it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee or resign.

The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee, subject to certain exceptions. The Indenture provides that in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent person in the conduct of his own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request of any Holder of Notes, unless such Holder has offered to the trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

Certain Definitions

“Adjusted Total Assets” means the sum of:

(1) Total Assets of CoreCivic as of the end of the of the most recent fiscal quarter as set forth on the most recent quarterly or annual consolidated balance sheet of CoreCivic prepared in conformity with GAAP; and

(2) Any increase or decrease in Total Assets following the end of such quarter to the date for which Adjusted Total Assets is being calculated, determined on a pro forma basis, including, without limitation, giving any pro forma increase or decrease in Total Assets resulting from the transaction with respect to which Adjusted Total Assets is being calculated.

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date:

(1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Remaining Life, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or

(2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third business day preceding the redemption date or, in the case of a satisfaction and discharge at the time a redemption notice is delivered, two business days prior to the deposit of funds with the trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture for such satisfaction and discharge.

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a Person will be deemed to be control. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.

 

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“Beneficial Owner “ has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.

“Board of Directors” means:

(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board;

(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors of the general partner of the partnership;

(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof; and

(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

“Capital Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.

“Capital Stock” means:

(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;

(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;

(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and

(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person; but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of CoreCivic and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act);

(2) the approval by the holders of the Voting Stock of CoreCivic of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of CoreCivic or if no such approval is required, the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of CoreCivic by its Board of Directors;

(3) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of CoreCivic;

(4) CoreCivic consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, CoreCivic, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of CoreCivic or such other Person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the Voting Stock of CoreCivic outstanding immediately prior to such transaction is converted into or exchanged for Voting Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the surviving or transferee Person constituting a 45% or more of the outstanding

 

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shares of such Voting Stock of such surviving or transferee Person (immediately after giving effect to such issuance); or

(5) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of CoreCivic are not Continuing Directors.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes (“Remaining Life”).

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, for any redemption date, (1) the average of four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations the average of all such quotations.

“Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of CoreCivic who:

(1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the Issue Date; or

(2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such nomination or election.

“Credit Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of January 6, 2012, by and among CoreCivic, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and certain lenders and other parties thereto, as amended by the First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 22, 2013, as further amended, and by the Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 22, 2015 and by the Third Amendment and Incremental Term Loan Agreement to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 6, 2015, and any related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case as further amended (and/or amended and restated), modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time, in whole or in part, with the same or different lenders (including, without limitation, any amendment, amendment and restatement, modification, renewal, refunding, replacement or refinancing that increases the maximum amount of the loans made or to be made thereunder). See “Description of Certain Other Indebtedness — Credit Facility.”

“Credit Facilities” means, one or more credit or debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Credit Agreement), financings, commercial paper facilities, note purchase agreements or other debt instruments, indentures or agreements providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, notes, securities, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables), letters of credit or issuances of debt securities or other Obligations, in each case, as amended (and/or amended and restated), restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced (whether upon or after termination or otherwise) or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time.

“Default” means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.

“Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the Notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the

 

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right to require CoreCivic to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock provide that CoreCivic may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of CoreCivic that was formed under the laws of the United States or any state of the United States (but not the laws of Puerto Rico) or the District of Columbia.

“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).

“Event of Default” means any event that is described under the caption “— Events of Default and Remedies.”

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession as amended and/or modified from time to time.

“Government Securities” means securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support of those securities).

“Guarantee” means a guarantee other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness, but not any Indebtedness of CoreCivic under the Forward Delivery Deficits Agreement, dated as of September 25, 1997, by and between CoreCivic and Wachovia Bank, National Association (formerly known as First Union National Bank), as trustee, as in effect on the Issue Date, provided only for so long as such Indebtedness is not required to be classified as debt of CoreCivic or any Subsidiary pursuant to GAAP.

“Guarantor” means each of:

(1) the Guarantors described under “— The Subsidiary Guarantees” above; and

(2) any other subsidiary that executes a Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture; and their respective successors and assigns.

“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person under:

(1) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements; and

(2) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates.

“Holder” means any Person in whose name a Note is registered.

“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person (excluding accrued expenses and trade payables), any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent:

(1) in respect of borrowed money;

(2) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof);

(3) in respect of banker’s acceptances;

 

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(4) representing Capital Lease Obligations;

(5) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property due more than six months after such property is acquired; or

(6) representing any Hedging Obligations,

if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by the specified Person of any indebtedness of any other Person.

The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will be:

(1) the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount;

(2) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, together with any interest on the Indebtedness that is more than 30 days past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness; and

(3) with respect to Hedging Obligations, the amount of Indebtedness required to be recorded as a liability in accordance with GAAP.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by CoreCivic.

“Issue Date” means the date of the Indenture.

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction.

“Notes” means the $250.0 million in aggregate principal amount of CoreCivic’s 4.75% Senior Notes due 2027 offered hereby and issued pursuant to the Indenture and any additional notes designated by CoreCivic as the same series as such senior notes and issued under the Indenture.

“Obligations” means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

“Permitted Liens” means:

(1) Liens on real or personal property of CoreCivic and any Guarantor securing Indebtedness and other Obligations under Credit Facilities in an aggregate amount not to exceed (x) $1,000,000,000 plus (y) 2.5% of Adjusted Total Assets at any one time outstanding;

(2) Liens in favor of CoreCivic or the Guarantors;

(3) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with CoreCivic or any Subsidiary of CoreCivic or becomes a direct or indirect subsidiary of CoreCivic; provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with CoreCivic or the Subsidiary;

(4) Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition of the property by CoreCivic or any Subsidiary of CoreCivic, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such acquisition;

(5) Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(6) Liens to secure Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case, incurred within 270 days of the related purchase, construction or improvement for the purpose of financing all or any part of the cost of purchase, construction or improvement of property, plant or equipment used in the business of CoreCivic or such Subsidiary, including all Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (6);

(7) Liens existing on the Issue Date;

(8) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently concluded, provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as is required in conformity with GAAP has been made therefor;

(9) Attachment or judgment Liens not giving rise to a Default or an Event of Default;

(10) Liens with respect to Obligations that do not exceed 7.5% of Adjusted Total Assets at any one time outstanding;

(11) pledges or deposits under workmen’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which CoreCivic or any Subsidiary is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of CoreCivic or any Subsidiary or deposits or cash or Government Securities to secure surety or appeal bonds to which CoreCivic or any Subsidiary is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment of rent, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(12) Liens imposed by law, including carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings if a reserve or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;

(13) encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real properties or liens incidental to the conduct of the business of CoreCivic or a Subsidiary or to the ownership of its properties which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of CoreCivic or such Subsidiary;

(14) Liens securing Hedging Obligations;

(15) leases and subleases of real property which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of CoreCivic or any of its Subsidiaries;

(16) normal customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions; and

(17) mortgages or other Liens securing Indebtedness or other Obligations issued by or owed to the United States, any State thereof or any municipality, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or by any other country or any political subdivision thereof for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price of, or, in the case of real property, the cost of construction of, relocation of, maintenance of, or improvement of, any property or assets subject to such mortgage or other lien or within the jurisdiction of such entity, or otherwise in connection with any geographic incentivization arrangements, including tax reduction or other economic subsidization arrangements pertaining to local employment.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.

 

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“Principal Property” means (i) any Real Estate Assets with a net book value in excess of 1.0% of CoreCivic’s Adjusted Total Assets or (ii) any Capital Stock of a Subsidiary that owns Real Estate Assets described in clause (i) of this definition.

“Real Estate Assets” of a Person means, as of any date, the real estate assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries on such date, on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means any of the primary U.S. Government securities dealers in New York City.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date (or, in the case of a satisfaction and discharge at the time a redemption notice is delivered, two business days prior to the deposit of funds with the trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture for such satisfaction and discharge), the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such Regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:

(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association or other business entity is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

(2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

“Subsidiary Guarantee” means, individually, any Guarantee of payment of the Notes by a Guarantor pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, and, collectively, all such Guarantees. Each such Subsidiary Guarantee will be in the form prescribed by the Indenture.

“Total Assets” means, as of any date, the sum of (a) Undepreciated Real Estate Assets plus (b) the book value of all assets (excluding Real Estate Assets and intangibles).

“Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” means, as of any date, the cost (being the original cost to CoreCivic or its subsidiaries plus capital improvements) of Real Estate Assets of CoreCivic and its Subsidiaries on such date, before depreciation and amortization of such real estate assets, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

“Voting Stock” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.

 

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BOOK-ENTRY, DELIVERY AND FORM

General

The notes will be represented by one or more global notes in registered form without interest coupons attached, or the Global Notes. The Global Notes will be deposited with a custodian for The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC.

Ownership of interests in the Global Notes, or the Book-Entry Interests, will be limited to persons that have accounts with DTC, or persons that hold interests through such participants.

Book-Entry Interests will be shown on, and transfers thereof will be done only through, records maintained in book-entry form by DTC and its participants. The laws of some jurisdictions, including certain states of the U.S., may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. The foregoing limitations may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge Book-Entry Interests. In addition, while the notes are in global form, holders of Book-Entry Interests are not considered the owners or “holders” of notes for any purpose.

So long as the notes are held in global form, DTC (or its nominee) will be considered the sole holders of Global Notes for all purposes under the indenture. In addition, participants in DTC must rely on the procedures of DTC and indirect participants must rely on the procedures of DTC and the participants through which they own Book-Entry Interests, to transfer their interests or to exercise any rights of holders under the indenture.

Redemption of the Global Notes

In the event any Global Note (or any portion thereof) is redeemed, DTC (or its nominee) will redeem an equal amount of the Book-Entry Interests in such Global Note from the amount received by it in respect of the redemption of such Global Note. The redemption price payable in connection with the redemption of such Book-Entry Interests will be equal to the amount received by DTC in connection with the redemption of such Global Note (or any portion thereof). CoreCivic understands that, under existing practices of DTC, if fewer than all of the notes are to be redeemed at any time, DTC will credit its participants’ accounts with respect to such notes on a proportionate basis (with adjustments to prevent fractions) or by lot or on such other basis as it deems fair and appropriate; provided, however, that no Book-Entry Interest of $2,000 principal amount or less may be redeemed in part.

Payments on Global Notes

CoreCivic will make payments of any amounts owing in respect of the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest and all other amounts payable) to DTC or its nominee, which will distribute such payments to the applicable participants in accordance with its procedures. CoreCivic will make payments of all such amounts without deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature except as may be required by law. CoreCivic expects that standing customer instructions and customary practices will govern payments by participants to owners of Book-Entry Interests held through such participants.

Under the terms of the indenture, CoreCivic and the trustee will treat the registered holders of the Global Notes (e.g., DTC (or its nominee)) as the owners thereof for the purpose of receiving payments and for all other purposes. Consequently, none of CoreCivic, the trustee or any of their respective agents has or will have any responsibility or liability for:

 

•

any aspect of the records of DTC or any participant or indirect participant relating to payments made on account of a Book-Entry Interest or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing the records of DTC,

 

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or any participant or indirect participant relating to or payments made on account of a Book-Entry Interest; or

 

•

DTC or any participant or indirect participant.

Payments by participants to owners of Book-Entry Interests held through participants are the responsibility of such participants.

Currency of Payment for the Global Notes

Except as may otherwise be agreed between DTC and any holder, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, and all other amounts payable in respect of Global Notes will be paid to the applicable holders of interests in such notes, or the DTC Holders, through DTC in U.S. dollars.

Payments will be subject in all cases to any fiscal or other laws and regulations (including any regulations of the applicable clearing system) applicable thereto. None of CoreCivic, the trustee or any of their respective agents will be liable to any holder of a Global Note or any other person for any commissions, costs, losses or expenses in relation to or resulting from any currency conversion or rounding effected in connection with any such payment.

Action by Owners of Book-Entry Interests

DTC has advised CoreCivic that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes (including the presentation of notes for exchange as described below) only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account the Book-Entry Interests in the Global Notes are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of notes as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction. DTC will not exercise any discretion in the granting of consents, waivers or the taking of any other action in respect of the Global Notes. However, if there is an event of default under the notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the Global Notes for definitive registered notes in certificated form, or the Definitive Registered Notes, and to distribute Definitive Registered Notes to its participants.

Transfers

Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC and its direct or indirect participants, which rules and procedures may change from time to time.

Any Book-Entry Interest in one of the Global Notes that is transferred to a person who takes delivery in the form of a Book-Entry Interest in any other Global Note will, upon transfer, cease to be a Book-Entry Interest in the first-mentioned Global Note and become a Book-Entry Interest in such other Global Note, and accordingly will thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions, if any, and other procedures applicable to Book-Entry Interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such a Book-Entry Interest.

Definitive Registered Notes

Under the terms of the indenture, owners of the Book-Entry Interests will receive Definitive Registered Notes:

 

•

if DTC notifies CoreCivic that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Note, or DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a qualified successor depositary is not appointed by CoreCivic within 120 days; or

 

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•

if an event of default under the indenture occurred or is continuing and the owner of a Book-Entry Interest requests such exchange in writing delivered through DTC.

In the case of the issuance of Definitive Registered Notes, the holder of a Definitive Registered Note may transfer such note by surrendering it to the registrar. In the event of a partial transfer or a partial redemption of a holding of Definitive Registered Notes represented by one Definitive Registered Note, a Definitive Registered Note shall be issued to the transferee in respect of the part transferred, and a new Definitive Registered Note in respect of the balance of the holding not transferred or redeemed shall be issued to the transferor or the holder, as applicable; provided that no Definitive Registered Note in a denomination less than $2,000 shall be issued. CoreCivic will bear the cost of preparing, printing, packaging and delivering the Definitive Registered Notes.

CoreCivic shall not be required to register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Registered Notes for a period of 15 calendar days preceding (a) the record date for any payment of interest on the notes, (b) any date fixed for redemption of the notes or (c) the date fixed for selection of the notes to be redeemed in part. Also, CoreCivic is not required to register the transfer or exchange of any notes selected for redemption. In the event of the transfer of any Definitive Registered Note, the transfer agent may require a holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents as described in the indenture. CoreCivic may require a holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the indenture.

If Definitive Registered Notes are issued and a holder thereof claims that such Definitive Registered Notes have been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken or if such Definitive Registered Notes are mutilated and are surrendered to the registrar for the notes or at the office of a transfer agent for the notes, CoreCivic shall issue and the trustee for the notes shall authenticate a replacement Definitive Registered Note if the trustee’s and CoreCivic’s requirements are met. The trustee or CoreCivic may require a holder requesting replacement of a Definitive Registered Note to furnish an indemnity bond sufficient in the judgment of both the trustee and CoreCivic to protect CoreCivic, the trustee or the paying agent for the notes appointed pursuant to the indenture from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Definitive Registered Note is replaced. CoreCivic may charge such holder for its expenses in replacing a Definitive Registered Note.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Definitive Registered Note has become or is about to become due and payable, or is about to be redeemed or purchased by CoreCivic pursuant to the provisions of the indenture, CoreCivic in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Definitive Registered Note, pay, redeem or purchase such Definitive Registered Note, as the case may be.

Definitive Registered Notes may be transferred and exchanged for Book-Entry Interests in a Global Note for the notes only in accordance with the indenture.

Information Concerning DTC

The following description of the operations and procedures of DTC is provided solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of DTC and are subject to changes by DTC. We take no responsibility for these operations and procedures and urge investors to contact DTC or its participants directly to discuss these matters.

CoreCivic understands as follows with respect to DTC:

DTC is:

 

•

a limited purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law;

 

•

a “banking organization” under New York Banking Law;

 

•

a member of the Federal Reserve System;

 

•

a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and

 

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•

a “clearing agency” registered under Section 17A of the Exchange Act.

DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions among its participants. It does this through electronic book-entry changes in the accounts of securities participants, eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC’s owners are the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, Inc. and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and a number of its direct participants. Others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, also have access to the DTC system and are known as indirect participants.

Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of indirect participants and certain banks, the ability of an owner of a beneficial interest to pledge such interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interest, may be limited by the lack of a definitive certificate for that interest. The laws of some states require that certain persons take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests to such persons may be limited. In addition, owners of beneficial interests through the DTC system will receive distributions attributable to the Global Notes only through DTC participants.

Global Clearance and Settlement Under the Book-Entry System

The notes are expected to trade in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System and any permitted secondary market trading activity in the notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. CoreCivic expects that secondary trading in any certificated notes will also be settled in immediately available funds. Subject to compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes, cross-market transfers of Book-Entry Interests in the notes between the participants in DTC will be done through DTC in accordance with DTC’s rules.

Although DTC is expected to follow the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among participants in DTC, it is under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. None of CoreCivic, the trustee, the registrar, any transfer agent or any paying agent will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or its participants or indirect participants, of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

Secondary Market Trading

The Book-Entry Interests will trade through participants of DTC and will settle in same day funds. Since the purchaser determines the place of delivery, it is important to establish at the time of trading of any Book-Entry Interests where both the purchaser’s and the seller’s accounts are located to ensure that settlement can be made on the desired value date.

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

For a discussion of certain material United States federal income tax consequences regarding our company and holders of the notes, please see “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 24, 2017 (including Exhibit 99.1 thereto incorporated by reference therein), as the same may be supplemented and, if applicable, superseded from time to time by information appearing in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K (excluding any such Current Reports on Form 8-K or portions thereof or exhibits thereto that are deemed to have been “furnished” to, rather than “filed” with, the SEC), all of which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Prospective investors in the notes should consult their tax advisors regarding the United States federal income and other tax considerations to them of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the notes offered by this prospectus supplement.

 

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CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the notes by (i) “employee benefit plans” (as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or ERISA) that are subject to ERISA, (ii) “plans” which are subject to Section 4975 of the Code, (iii) entities deemed under ERISA to hold “plan assets” of any of the foregoing by reason of an employee benefit plan’s or plan’s investment in such entity or (iv) a governmental plan or church plan subject to applicable law that is similar in purpose or effect to the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or the Similar Laws (each, a “Plan”).

General Fiduciary Matters

ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or an ERISA Plan, and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of an ERISA Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of such an ERISA Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of such an ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to such an ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan.

In considering an investment in the notes of a portion of the assets of any Plan, a Plan fiduciary should determine whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Similar Laws relating to a fiduciary’s duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.

Prohibited Transaction Issues

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit ERISA Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of notes by an ERISA Plan with respect to which the issuer or the initial purchasers or their affiliates may be considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or PTCEs, that may apply to the acquisition and holding of the notes. These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 84-14 respecting transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1 respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38 respecting bank collective investment funds, PTCE 95-60 respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23 respecting transactions determined by in-house asset managers, although there can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied. In addition to the foregoing, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 provides a statutory exemption (Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code) for transactions between an ERISA Plan and a person that is a party in interest and/or a disqualified person (other than a fiduciary or an affiliate that, directly or indirectly, has or exercises discretionary authority or control or renders investment advice with respect to the assets involved in the transaction) solely by reason of providing services to the Plan or by relationship to a service provider, provided that the ERISA Plan fiduciary has made a determination that there is adequate consideration for the transaction.

 

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Because of the foregoing, the notes should not be acquired or held by any person investing “plan assets” of any Plan, unless such acquisition and holding will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.

Representation

Accordingly, by acceptance of a note, or any interest therein, each purchaser and subsequent transferee will be deemed to have represented and warranted that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such purchaser or transferee to acquire or hold the notes constitutes assets of any Plan or (ii) the acquisition and holding of the notes by such purchaser or transferee will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.

The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries or other persons considering acquiring and holding the notes on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the acquisition and holding of the notes.

 

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UNDERWRITING (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. are acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in a firm commitment underwriting agreement among us and the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the principal amount of notes set forth opposite its name below.

 

Underwriter		Principal Amount of Notes
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith                       Incorporated			47,500,000
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC			45,500,000
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.			45,500,000
PNC Capital Markets LLC			45,500,000
Regions Securities LLC			38,500,000
Citizens Capital Markets, Inc.			17,500,000
FTN Financial Securities Corp.			10,000,000
Total		$	250,000,000

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase all of the notes sold under the underwriting agreement if any of these notes are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters and their controlling persons against certain liabilities in connection with this offering, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters are offering the notes, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the notes, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officer’s certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Underwriting Discount

The representatives have advised us that the underwriters propose initially to offer the notes to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. After the initial offering, the public offering price or any other term of the offering may be changed. The underwriters may offer and sell notes through certain of their affiliates.

The following table shows the underwriting discount that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering:

 

Underwriters		Paid by Company
Per Note			1.00	%
Total		$	2,500,000

 

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The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $1,250,000 and are payable by us.

New Issue of Notes

The notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We do not intend to apply for listing of the notes on any national securities exchange or for inclusion of the notes on any automated dealer quotation system. We have been advised by certain of the underwriters that they presently intend to make a market in the notes after completion of the offering. However, they are under no obligation to do so and may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without any notice. We cannot assure the liquidity of the trading market for the notes or that an active public market for the notes will develop. If an active public trading market for the notes does not develop, the market price and liquidity of the notes may be adversely affected. If the notes are traded, they may trade at a discount from their initial offering price, depending on prevailing interest rates, the market for similar securities, our operating performance and financial condition, general economic conditions and other factors.

No Sales of Similar Securities

We have agreed that we will not, for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, without first obtaining the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer to contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities, except for the notes sold to the underwriters pursuant to the underwriting agreement.

Short Positions

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell the notes in the open market. These transactions may include short sales and purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater principal amount of notes than they are required to purchase in the offering. The underwriters must close out any short position by purchasing notes in the open market. A short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the notes in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the notes or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the notes. As a result, the price of the notes may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the notes. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Conflicts of Interest

As described in “Use of Proceeds,” we intend to use substantially all of the net proceeds from this offering to repay borrowings outstanding under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility. Affiliates of each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., PNC Capital Markets LLC, Regions Securities LLC, Citizen Capital Markets, Inc. and FTN Financial Securities Corp. serve as agents and lenders under the Credit Facility (Bank of America, N.A., an affiliate of Merrill Lynch,

 

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Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, is the administrative agent under the Credit Facility). As a result, affiliates of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., PNC Capital Markets LLC, Regions Securities LLC, Citizen Capital Markets, Inc. and FTN Financial Securities Corp. will receive a portion of the net proceeds of this offering in connection with the repayment of borrowings under the revolving portion of our Credit Facility and some of these affiliates are expected to receive more than 5% of the net proceeds of this offering (not including underwriting discounts). Nonetheless, the appointment of a “qualified independent underwriter” in accordance with Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. is not necessary in connection with this offering because we are a REIT, and REITs are excluded from the requirement of Rule 5121. In addition, some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions. Affiliates of certain of the underwriters may also serve as agents and lenders under the term loan.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. Certain of the underwriters or their affiliates that have a lending relationship with us routinely hedge, and certain other of the underwriters or their affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, such underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Selling Restrictions

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

The notes may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the notes must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts, or NI 33-105, the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

 

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Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area, no offer of notes which are the subject of the offering has been, or will be made to the public in that Member State, other than under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive:

 

A.

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

B.

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the Representatives for any such offer; or

 

C.

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of notes referred to in (a) to (c) above shall result in a requirement for the Company or any Representative to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive.

This prospectus has been prepared on the basis that any offer of notes in any Member State will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of notes. Accordingly any person making or intending to make an offer in that Relevant Member State of notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated in this prospectus may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for the Company or any of the Representatives to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive in relation to such offer. Neither the Company nor the Representatives have authorized, nor do they authorize, the making of any offer of notes in circumstances in which an obligation arises for the Company or the Representatives to publish a prospectus for such offer.

For the purpose of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended) and includes any relevant implementing measure in the each Member State.

The above selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restriction set out below.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19 (5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This document must not be acted on or relied on in the United Kingdom by persons who are not relevant persons. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is only available to, and will be engaged in with, relevant persons.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

This prospectus supplement does not constitute an issue prospectus pursuant to Article 652a or Article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, and the notes will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Therefore, this prospectus supplement may not comply with the disclosure standards of the listing rules (including any additional listing rules or prospectus schemes) of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Accordingly, the notes may not be offered to the public in or from Switzerland, but only to a selected and limited circle of investors who do not subscribe to the notes with a view to distribution. Any such investors will be individually approached by the underwriters from time to time.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters relating to the validity of the notes and guarantees thereof and in connection with Delaware, California and Tennessee law will be passed upon for us by Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, Nashville, Tennessee. Certain legal matters in connection with Maryland law will be passed upon for us by Miles & Stockbridge P.C., Baltimore, Maryland. Certain legal matters in connection with Colorado and Nevada law will be passed upon for us by Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. Certain legal matters in connection with Oklahoma law will be passed upon for us by McAfee & Taft, A Professional Corporation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Certain legal matters in connection with Texas law will be passed upon for us by Lietchy, McGinnis, Berryman & Bowen, LLP, Dallas, Texas. Certain legal matters relating to United States federal income taxation will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Costa Mesa, California. Certain legal matters relating to the notes will be passed upon for the underwriters by Alston & Bird LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of CoreCivic and Subsidiaries appearing in CoreCivic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, including the schedule appearing therein and the effectiveness of CoreCivic and Subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the respective dates (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Guarantees of Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

We may offer and sell the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities.

Each time we offer and sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the amounts, prices and terms of the securities. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. You should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement before you invest in any of our securities.

We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between or among them will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement. See the sections of this prospectus entitled “About this Prospectus” and “Plan of Distribution” for more information. No securities may be sold without delivery of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.

 

 

INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES RISKS. SEE THE “RISK FACTORS” ON PAGE 5 OF THIS PROSPECTUS AND ANY SIMILAR SECTION CONTAINED IN THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT CONCERNING FACTORS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CXW.” On May 14, 2015, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $35.04 per share.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is May 15, 2015.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE			2
THE COMPANY			4
RISK FACTORS			5
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			6
USE OF PROCEEDS			7
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED SHARE DIVIDENDS			8
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK			9
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			13
DESCRIPTION OF GUARANTEES			21
DESCRIPTION OF OTHER SECURITIES			22
GLOBAL SECURITIES			23
RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFERS OF STOCK			26
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS			29
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			52
LEGAL MATTERS			53
EXPERTS			53

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, using a “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell securities from time to time and in one or more offerings as described in this prospectus. Each time that we offer and sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and sold and the specific terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement. Before purchasing any securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference.”

We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of the date on its respective cover, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

When we refer to “CCA,” “we,” “our,” “us” and the “Company” in this prospectus, we mean Corrections Corporation of America and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise specified. When we refer to “you,” we mean the holders of the applicable series of securities.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Available Information

We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Information filed with the SEC by us can be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also obtain copies of this information by mail from the Public Reference Room of the SEC at prescribed rates. Further information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.

Our web site address is www.cca.com. The information on our web site, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.

This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as provided below. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or through the SEC’s website, as provided above.

Incorporation by Reference

The SEC’s rules allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies or replaces that statement.

We incorporate by reference our documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as the “Exchange Act” in this prospectus, between the date of this prospectus and the termination of the offering of the securities described in this prospectus. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed below or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including our Compensation Committee report and performance graph or any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or related exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC:

 

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Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2015 (including the portions of the Company’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on April 2, 2015 that are incorporated by reference therein).

 

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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, filed with the SEC on May 7, 2015

 

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Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 5, 2015, February 25, 2015 and May 15, 2015.

 

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All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.

You may request a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents) by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

Corrections Corporation of America

10 Burton Hills Boulevard, Nashville, Tennessee 37215

Attention: Investor Relations

(615) 263-3000

Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those exhibits have specifically been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

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THE COMPANY

We are the nation’s largest owner of privatized correctional and detention facilities and one of the largest prison operators in the United States. We currently own or control 50 correctional and detention facilities and manage an additional 12 facilities owned by our government partners, with a total design capacity of approximately 83,500 beds in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

We are a Real Estate Investment Trust, or REIT, specializing in owning, operating, and managing prisons and other correctional facilities and providing residential, community re-entry, and prisoner transportation services for governmental agencies. In addition to providing fundamental residential services, our facilities offer a variety of rehabilitation and educational programs, including basic education, faith-based services, life skills and employment training, and substance abuse treatment. These services are intended to reduce recidivism and to prepare offenders for their successful re-entry into society upon their release. We also provide or make available to offenders certain health care (including medical, dental, and mental health services), food services, and work and recreational programs.

We are a Maryland corporation formed in 1983. Our principal executive offices are located at 10 Burton Hills Boulevard, Nashville, Tennessee, 37215, and our telephone number at that location is (615) 263-3000.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K we file after the date of this prospectus, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under 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.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein contain, and any related prospectus supplements, other offering materials and documents deemed to be incorporated by reference herein or therein may contain, statements as to our beliefs and expectations of the outcome of future events that are forward-looking statements as defined within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of current or historical fact contained herein, including statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “could,” “may,” “plan,” “projects,” “will,” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties associated with:

 

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general economic and market conditions, including the impact governmental budgets can have on our per diem rates and occupancy;

 

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fluctuations in operating results because of, among other things, changes in occupancy levels, competition, increases in costs of operations, fluctuations in interest rates, and risks of operations;

 

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changes in the privatization of the corrections and detention industry and the public acceptance of our services;

 

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our ability to obtain and maintain correctional facility management contracts, including, but not limited to, sufficient governmental appropriations, contract compliance, effects of inmate disturbances, and the timing of the opening of new facilities and the commencement of new management contracts as well as our ability to utilize current available beds and new capacity as development and expansion projects are completed;

 

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increases in costs to develop or expand correctional facilities that exceed original estimates, or the inability to complete such projects on schedule as a result of various factors, many of which are beyond our control, such as weather, labor conditions, and material shortages, resulting in increased construction costs;

 

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changes in government policy and in legislation and regulation of the corrections and detention industry that affect our business, including, but not limited to, California’s utilization of out-of-state private correctional capacity, and the impact of any changes to immigration reform and sentencing laws (Our policy prohibits us from engaging in lobbying or advocacy efforts that would influence enforcement efforts, parole standards, criminal laws, and sentencing policies.);

 

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our ability to meet and maintain qualification for taxation as a real estate investment trust, or REIT; and

 

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the availability of debt and equity financing on terms that are favorable to us.

Any or all of our forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus may turn out to be inaccurate. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Our statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions described in “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in any other reports we file with the SEC from time to time and in any other information discussed in other documents that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus or the date of the incorporated document, as the case may be. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED SHARE DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth the historical ratios of earnings to fixed charges for CCA and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods indicated.

 

		Year Ended December 31,																				Three Months Ended March 31,
		2010				2011				2012				2013				2014				2014				2015
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)			4.2x				4.3x				4.9x				4.5x				5.4x				5.7x				6.0x

 

(1)

For the purpose of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings consist of income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes plus fixed charges, excluding capitalized interest, and fixed charges consist of interest, whether expensed or capitalized, and amortization of loan costs.

For the periods indicated above, we have no outstanding shares of preferred stock with required dividend payments. Therefore, the ratios of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends are identical to the ratios presented in the tables above.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our capital stock is not complete and may not contain all the information you should consider before investing in our capital stock. This description is summarized from, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, our certificate of incorporation, which has been publicly filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference.”

Our authorized capital stock consists of:

 

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300,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”); and

 

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50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value (the “Preferred Stock”).

Description of Common Stock

Voting Rights. Subject to provisions in our charter that impose restrictions on ownership and transfer of our capital stock, each holder of our Common Stock is entitled to one vote per share of Common Stock on all matters to be voting on by our stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any proposal to amend provisions of our Charter setting forth the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualification, or terms or conditions of redemption of a class or series of Preferred Stock if the proposed amendment would not alter the contract rights of the Common Stock.

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all its assets, or engage in a share exchange, unless the transaction is declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. A Maryland corporation, however, may provide in its charter for approval of such matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter provides for approval of such matters by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast.

Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders may be called by our president, chairman of the board or a majority of our board of directors and must be called by our secretary on a written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting.

Dividends and Rights Upon Liquidation. After the provisions with respect to preferential dividends of any class or series of Preferred Stock, if any, shall have been satisfied, then, and not otherwise, all Common Stock will participate equally in dividends payable to holders of shares of Common Stock when and as declared by the Board of Directors at their discretion out of funds legally available therefor. In the event of voluntary or involuntary dissolution or liquidation of the Company, after distribution in full of the preferential amounts, if any, to be distributed to the holders of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock shall, subject to the additional rights, if any, of the holders of Preferred Stock, be entitled to receive all of the remaining assets of the Company, tangible and intangible, of whatever kind available for distribution to stockholders them respectively.

No Preemptive Rights. Holders of our Common Stock will not have preemptive rights or any similar rights to purchase any new shares that we issue, or any preference, conversion, exchange or redemption rights.

Maryland Business Combination Law

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including certain issuances 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 outstanding voting stock, or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who beneficially owned ten percent or more of the voting power at any time within the preceding two years, in each case referred

 

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to as an “interested stockholder,” or an affiliate thereof, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange and, in circumstances specified in the MGCL, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. After the five-year moratorium, any such business combination must be approved by 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation and by 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 within or with whose affiliate business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder. The super-majority vote requirements do not apply if, among other conditions, the Company’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 of common stock. The business combination provisions of the MGCL do not apply to business combinations that are approved or exempted by the board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These provisions of the MGCL may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of us that might involve a premium price for the Common Stock or otherwise be in the best interests of the stockholders.

Maryland Control Share Acquisitions Law

The MGCL provides that holders of “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 of the Company or by employees who are directors of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired 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; (1) one-tenth or more but less than one-third, (2) one-third or more but less than a majority, or (3) 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 Company 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 Company 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 Company may redeem any and 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, meaning that they may require us to repurchase their shares for their appraised value as determined pursuant to the MGCL. 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.

“Control share acquisition” does not include (1) shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the Company is a party to the transaction, or (2) acquisitions exempted by the charter or bylaws of the Company, adopted at any time before the acquisition of the shares.

As permitted by the MGCL, our bylaws contain a provision exempting us from the control share acquisition statute. That bylaw provision states that the control share statute shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of our stock. Our board of directors may, without the consent of any of our stockholders, amend or

 

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eliminate this bylaw provision at any time, which means that we would then become subject to the Maryland control share acquisition statute. If we become subject to the Maryland control share acquisition statute, these provisions of the MGCL may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of us that might involve a premium price for the Common Stock or otherwise be in the best interests of the stockholders and there can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated by our board of directors 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 by a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in its charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions:

 

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a classified board,

 

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a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director,

 

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a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors,

 

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a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred, and

 

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a majority requirement for the calling of a special meeting of stockholders.

Through a provision in our bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already provide that a special meeting of stockholders will be called on the request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of votes entitled to be cast. Our charter provides that the number of our directors shall be determined by resolution of the board of directors.

A Maryland corporation may by its charter or by a resolution of its board of directors be prohibited from electing to be subject to the provisions of Subtitle 8. We are not subject to that prohibition. If we were to elect into any or all of these provisions of Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, it could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of us that might involve a premium price for the Common Stock or otherwise be in the best interest of the stockholders.

Restrictions on Ownership

For us to qualify as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, not more than 50% in value of our outstanding stock may be owned, actually or constructively, by or for five or fewer individuals (defined in the Code to include certain entities) during the last half of a taxable year. To assist us in meeting this requirement and certain other requirements relating to our tax status as a REIT, we may take certain actions to limit the actual, beneficial or constructive ownership by a single person or entity of our outstanding common stock. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfers of Stock” below.

Transfer Agent

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

Dividends

In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required each year to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains) and we will be subject to tax to the extent our net taxable income (including net capital gains) is not fully

 

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distributed. While we intend to continue paying regular quarterly cash dividends at levels expected to fully distribute our annual REIT taxable income, future dividends will be paid at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on our future earnings, our capital requirements, our financial condition, alternative uses of capital, the annual distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Code and on such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.

During 2013 and 2014, CCA’s Board of Directors declared the following quarterly dividends on its common stock:

 

Declaration Date		Record Date		Payable Date		Per Share
February 22, 2013		April 3, 2013		April 15, 2013		$	0.53
May 16, 2013		July 3, 2013		July 15, 2013		$	0.48
August 16, 2013		October 2, 2013		October 15, 2013		$	0.48
December 12, 2013		January 2, 2014		January 15, 2014		$	0.48
February 20, 2014		April 2, 2014		April 15, 2014		$	0.51
May 15, 2014		July 2, 2014		July 15, 2014		$	0.51
August 14, 2014		October 2, 2014		October 15, 2014		$	0.51
December 11, 2014		January 2, 2015		January 15, 2015		$	0.51

In addition, on April 8, 2013, CCA’s Board of Directors declared a special dividend to stockholders of $675.0 million, or approximately $6.66 per share of common stock, in connection with CCA’s previously announced plan to qualify and convert to a REIT for federal income tax purposes effective as of January 1, 2013. The special dividend was paid in satisfaction of requirements that CCA distribute its previously undistributed accumulated earnings and profits attributable to tax periods ending prior to January 1, 2013. CCA paid the special dividend on May 20, 2013 to stockholders of record as of April 19, 2013.

Each CCA stockholder could elect to receive payment of the special dividend either in all cash, all shares of CCA common stock or a combination of cash and CCA common stock, with the total amount of cash payable to stockholders limited to a maximum of 20% of the total value of the special dividend, or $135.0 million. The total amount of cash elected by stockholders exceeded 20% of the total value of the special dividend. As a result, the cash payment was prorated among those stockholders who elected to receive cash, and the remaining portion of the special dividend was paid in shares of CCA common stock. The total number of shares of CCA common stock distributed pursuant to the special dividend was 13.9 million and was determined based on stockholder elections and the average closing price per share of CCA common stock on the New York Stock Exchange for the three trading days after May 9, 2013, or $38.90 per share.

Description of Preferred Stock

We are authorized to issue 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share.

Our charter authorizes our board of directors, without stockholder action, to authorize the issuance of one or more series of Preferred Stock with such references, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications or other provisions as may be fixed by the board of directors.

Voting Rights. The holders of Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights and shall have no rights to receive notice of any meetings, except as required by law, as expressly provided for in our charter.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the series in a supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the supplement to what extent the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.

We may issue debt securities either separately, or together with, or upon the conversion or exercise of or in exchange for, other securities described in this prospectus. Debt securities may be our senior, senior subordinated or subordinated obligations and, unless otherwise specified in a supplement to this prospectus, the debt securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations and may be issued in one or more series.

The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. We have summarized select portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. The form of the indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. In the summary below, we have included references to the section numbers of the indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Capitalized terms used in the summary and not defined herein have the meanings specified in the indenture.

As used in this section only, “Corrections Corporation,” “CCA,” “we,” “our” or “us” refer to Corrections Corporation of America excluding our subsidiaries, unless expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.

General

The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a resolution of our board of directors, in an officer’s certificate or by a supplemental indenture. (Section 2.2) The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series (including any pricing supplement or term sheet).

We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. (Section 2.1) We will set forth in a prospectus supplement (including any pricing supplement or term sheet) relating to any series of debt securities being offered, the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities, if applicable:

 

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the title and ranking of the debt securities (including the terms of any subordination provisions);

 

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the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities;

 

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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

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the date or dates on which the principal of the securities of the series is payable;

 

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the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

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the place or places where principal of, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable (and the method of such payment), where the securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to us in respect of the debt securities may be delivered;

 

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•

the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities;

 

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any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and in the terms and conditions upon which securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

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the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations;

 

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the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities;

 

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the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;

 

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the currency of denomination of the debt securities, which may be United States Dollars or any foreign currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

 

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the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium and interest on the debt securities will be made;

 

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if payments of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;

 

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the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

 

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any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities;

 

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any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

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any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

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any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities;

 

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the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of such series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price and period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange;

 

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any other terms of the debt securities, which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series, including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the securities; and

 

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whether any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries will guarantee the debt securities of that series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees. (Section 2.2)

 

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We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and any premium and interest on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, general tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Transfer and Exchange

Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, or the Depositary, or a nominee of the Depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a “book-entry debt security”), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a “certificated debt security”) as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as set forth under the heading “Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.

Certificated Debt Securities. You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain for this purpose in accordance with the terms of the indenture. (Section 2.4) No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange. (Section 2.7)

You may effect the transfer of certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of, premium and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either reissuance by us or the trustee of the certificate to the new holder or the issuance by us or the trustee of a new certificate to the new holder.

Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System. Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary. Please see “Global Securities.”

Covenants

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities. (Article IV)

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions which may afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control) which could adversely affect holders of debt securities.

 

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Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

We may not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to any person (a “successor person”) unless:

 

•

we are the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than CCA) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture; and

 

•

immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

Notwithstanding the above, any of our subsidiaries may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to us. (Section 5.1)

Events of Default

“Event of Default” means with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:

 

•

default in the payment of any interest upon any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of the payment is deposited by us with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of the 30-day period);

 

•

default in the payment of principal of any security of that series at its maturity;

 

•

default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by us in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after we receive written notice from the trustee or CCA and the trustee receive written notice from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture;

 

•

certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of CCA;

 

•

any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement. (Section 6.1)

No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. (Section 6.1) The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain indebtedness of ours or our subsidiaries outstanding from time to time.

We will provide the trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action we are taking or propose to take in respect thereof. (Section 6.1)

If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal of (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all debt securities of that series. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid

 

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interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may rescind and annul the acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and interest, if any, with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. (Section 6.2) We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.

The indenture provides that the trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture unless the trustee receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any cost, liability or expense which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power. (Section 7.1(e)) Subject to certain rights of the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series. (Section 6.12)

No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:

 

•

that holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to debt securities of that series; and

 

•

the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered indemnity or security satisfactory to the trustee, to the trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee, and the trustee has not received from the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days. (Section 6.7)

Notwithstanding any other provision in the indenture, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of, premium and any interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment. (Section 6.8)

The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. (Section 4.3) If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the securities of any series and if it is known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee shall mail to each Securityholder of the securities of that series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a responsible officer of the trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Default or Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if the trustee determines in good faith that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities. (Section 7.5)

Modification and Waiver

We, the guarantors and the trustee may modify, amend or supplement the indenture or the debt securities of any series without the consent of any holder of any debt security:

 

•

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

•

to comply with covenants in the indenture described above under the heading “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”;

 

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•

to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated securities;

 

•

to add guarantees with respect to debt securities of any series or secure debt securities of any series;

 

•

to release any guarantor from any of its obligations under its guarantee of the indenture (to the extent permitted by the indenture);

 

•

to surrender any of our rights or powers under the indenture;

 

•

to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of debt securities of any series;

 

•

to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;

 

•

to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder of debt securities;

 

•

to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;

 

•

to allow any guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture or guarantee with respect to the applicable securities;

 

•

to effect the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of any series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture to provide for or facilitate administration by more than one trustee; or

 

•

to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. (Section 9.1)

We may also modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holders of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:

 

•

reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

•

reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any debt security;

 

•

reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;

 

•

reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

 

•

waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

•

make the principal of or premium or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security;

 

•

release any guarantor from any of its obligations under its guarantee or the indenture, except as permitted by the indenture

 

•

make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on those debt securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and to waivers or amendments; or

 

•

waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security. (Section 9.3)

 

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Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive compliance by us or any guarantor of debt securities of that series with provisions of the indenture. (Section 9.2) The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of such series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration. (Section 6.13)

Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances

Legal Defeasance. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, we or the guarantors may be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series (subject to certain exceptions). We will be so discharged upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. Dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money or U.S. government obligations in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.

This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred. (Section 8.3)

Defeasance of Certain Covenants. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, upon compliance with certain conditions:

 

•

we and the guarantors may omit to comply with the covenant described under the heading “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” and certain other covenants set forth in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement; and

 

•

any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series (“covenant defeasance”).

The conditions include:

 

•

we or the guarantor must deposit with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. Dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal of, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities; and

 

•

we or the guarantors must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal

 

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income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and related covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related covenant defeasance had not occurred. (Section 8.4)

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees or Stockholders

None of our past, present or future directors, officers, employees or stockholders, as such, will have any liability for any of our obligations under the debt securities or the indenture or for any claim based on, or in respect or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a debt security, each holder waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release is part of the consideration for the issue of the debt securities. However, this waiver and release may not be effective to waive liabilities under U.S. federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities, including any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the indenture or the securities, will be governed by the laws of the State of New York. (Section 10.10)

 

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DESCRIPTION OF GUARANTEES

To the extent provided in the applicable supplement to this prospectus, the debt securities offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus may be guaranteed by one or more guarantors. Each guarantee will be issued under a supplement to the applicable indenture. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of guarantees will describe the terms of those guarantees, including the following, to the extent applicable:

 

•

the series of debt securities to which the guarantees apply;

 

•

whether the guarantees are secured or unsecured;

 

•

whether the guarantees are senior, senior subordinated or subordinated;

 

•

the terms under which the guarantees may be amended, modified, waived, released or otherwise terminated, if different from the provisions applicable to the guaranteed debt securities; and

 

•

any additional terms of the guarantees.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OTHER SECURITIES

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of any warrants or units issued by us that may be offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus.

 

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GLOBAL SECURITIES

Book-Entry, Delivery and Form

Unless we indicate differently in a prospectus supplement, the securities initially will be issued in book-entry form and represented by one or more global notes or global securities, or, collectively, global securities. The global securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, as depositary, or DTC, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC. Unless and until it is exchanged for individual certificates evidencing securities under the limited circumstances described below, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary to its nominee or by the nominee to the depositary, or by the depositary or its nominee to a successor depositary or to a nominee of the successor depositary.

DTC has advised us that it is:

 

•

a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law;

 

•

a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law;

 

•

a member of the Federal Reserve System;

 

•

a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and

 

•

a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act.

DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the settlement among its participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. “Direct participants” in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, including underwriters, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or DTCC. DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others, which we sometimes refer to as indirect participants, that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.

Purchases of securities under the DTC system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for the securities on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of the actual purchaser of a security, which we sometimes refer to as a beneficial owner, is in turn recorded on the direct and indirect participants’ records. Beneficial owners of securities will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchases. However, beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of their transactions, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct or indirect participants through which they purchased securities. Transfers of ownership interests in global securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the global securities, except under the limited circumstances described below.

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all global securities deposited by direct participants with DTC will be registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other nominee will not change the beneficial ownership of the securities. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the securities. DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts the securities are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants are responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

 

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So long as the securities are in book-entry form, you will receive payments and may transfer securities only through the facilities of the depositary and its direct and indirect participants. We will maintain an office or agency in the location specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable securities, where notices and demands in respect of the securities and the indenture may be delivered to us and where certificated securities may be surrendered for payment, registration of transfer or exchange.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any legal requirements in effect from time to time.

Redemption notices will be sent to DTC. If less than all of the securities of a particular series are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each direct participant in the securities of such series to be redeemed.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (or such other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns the consenting or voting rights of Cede & Co. to those direct participants to whose accounts the securities of such series are credited on the record date, identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy.

So long as securities are in book-entry form, we will make payments on those securities to the depositary or its nominee, as the registered owner of such securities, by wire transfer of immediately available funds. If securities are issued in definitive certificated form under the limited circumstances described below, we will have the option of making payments by check mailed to the addresses of the persons entitled to payment or by wire transfer to bank accounts in the United States designated in writing to the applicable trustee or other designated party at least 15 days before the applicable payment date by the persons entitled to payment, unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the applicable trustee or other designated party.

Redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments on the securities will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC’s practice is to credit direct participants’ accounts upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us on the payment date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC records. Payments by participants to beneficial owners 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.” Those payments will be the responsibility of participants and not of DTC or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC, is our responsibility, disbursement of payments to direct participants is the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of payments to the beneficial owners is the responsibility of direct and indirect participants.

Except under the limited circumstances described below, purchasers of securities will not be entitled to have securities registered in their names and will not receive physical delivery of securities. Accordingly, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and its participants to exercise any rights under the securities and the indenture.

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. Those laws may impair the ability to transfer or pledge beneficial interests in securities.

DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities depositary with respect to the securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depositary is not obtained, securities certificates are required to be printed and delivered.

 

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As noted above, beneficial owners of a particular series of securities generally will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in those securities. However, if:

 

•

DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a depositary for the global security or securities representing such series of securities or if DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act at a time when it is required to be registered and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days of the notification to us or of our becoming aware of DTC’s ceasing to be so registered, as the case may be;

 

•

we determine, in our sole discretion, not to have such securities represented by one or more global securities; or

 

•

an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to such series of securities,

we will prepare and deliver certificates for such securities in exchange for beneficial interests in the global securities. Any beneficial interest in a global security that is exchangeable under the circumstances described in the preceding sentence will be exchangeable for securities in definitive certificated form registered in the names that the depositary directs. It is expected that these directions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from its participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the global securities.

We have obtained the information in this section and elsewhere in this prospectus concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system from sources that are believed to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

 

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RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFERS OF STOCK

Internal Revenue Code Requirements

To maintain our REIT status under the Code, no more than 50% in value of our outstanding shares of stock may be owned, actually or constructively, by or for five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) during the last half of a taxable year.

Transfer Restrictions in Charter

Because we expect to continue to qualify as a REIT, our charter contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our common stock which, among other purposes, are intended to assist us in complying with applicable Code requirements. Our charter provides that, subject to certain specified exceptions, no person or entity may own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% (by number or value, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding shares of common stock. We refer to these restrictions as the “ownership limit.” The constructive ownership rules of the Code are complex, and may cause shares of common stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be constructively owned by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of the shares of common stock (or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, common stock) by an individual or entity, could nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to constructively own more than 9.8% of our outstanding common stock and thus violate the ownership limit, or any other limit as provided in our charter or as otherwise permitted by our board of directors. Our board of directors may, but in no event is required to, exempt from the ownership limit a particular stockholder if it determines that such ownership will not jeopardize our status as a REIT. As a condition of such exemption, the board of directors may require a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to it and/or undertakings or representations from the applicant with respect to preserving our REIT status.

Our charter further prohibits (1) any person from actually or constructively owning shares of our common stock that would result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT, and (2) any person from transferring shares of our common stock if such transfer would result in shares of our capital stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution).

Any person who acquires or attempts to acquire actual or constructive ownership of shares of our common stock that would violate any of the foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership is required to give notice to us immediately 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 foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interest to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT. Except as otherwise described above, any change in the ownership limit would require an amendment to the charter.

Our outstanding preferred stock is subject to transfer restrictions similar to those described under this caption “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfers of Stock,” and we anticipate that any class or series of preferred stock that we issue in the future will also be subject to similar restrictions. The restrictions on transfer applicable to any class or series of preferred stock we issue will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials.

Effect of Violation of Transfer Provisions

According to our charter, if any purported transfer of common stock or any other event would result in any person violating the ownership limit or such other limit as provided in the charter, or as otherwise permitted by our board of directors, or result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code, or otherwise cause

 

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us to fail to qualify as a REIT, then the number of shares that would otherwise cause such violation or result (rounded up to the nearest whole share) will be transferred automatically to a trust, the beneficiary of which will be a qualified charitable organization selected by us. Such automatic transfer shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of such violative transfer.

Within 20 days of receiving notice from us of the transfer of shares to the trust, the trustee of the trust (who shall be designated by us and be unaffiliated with us and any prohibited transferee or prohibited owner) will be required to sell such shares to a person or entity who could own the shares without violating the ownership limit, or any other limit as provided in our charter, and distribute to the prohibited transferee or prohibited owner, as applicable, an amount equal to the lesser of the price paid by the prohibited transferee or prohibited owner for such shares or the net sales proceeds received by the trust for such shares. In the case of any event other than a transfer, or in the case of a transfer for no consideration (such as a gift), the trustee will be required to sell such shares to a qualified person or entity and distribute to the prohibited owner an amount equal to the lesser of the market price (described in our charter) of such shares as of the date of the event resulting in the transfer or the net sales proceeds received by the trust for such shares. In either case, any proceeds in excess of the amount distributable to the prohibited transferee or prohibited owner, as applicable, will be distributed to the beneficiary. Prior to a sale of any such shares by the trust, the trustee will be entitled to receive, in trust for the beneficiary, all dividends and other distributions paid by us with respect to such shares, and also will be entitled to exercise all voting rights with respect to such shares.

Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that such shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee shall have the authority (at the trustee’s sole discretion) (1) to rescind as void any vote cast by a prohibited transferee or prohibited owner, as applicable, prior to the discovery by us that such shares have been transferred to the trust and (2) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the beneficiary. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast that vote. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the prohibited transferee or prohibited owner (prior to the discovery by us that such shares had been automatically transferred to a trust as described above) will be required to be repaid to the trustee upon demand for distribution to the beneficiary. In the event that the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective (for any reason) to prevent violation of the ownership limit or any other limit as provided in our charter or as otherwise permitted by our board of directors, then our charter provides that the transfer of such shares will be void.

In addition, shares of our common 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 (1) 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 (2) the market price on the date we accept, or our designee accepts, such offer. We shall have the right to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of common stock held in the trust. Upon such a sale to us, the interest of the beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the prohibited transferee or prohibited owner.

If any purported transfer of shares of common stock would cause us to be beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons, such transfer will be null and void in its entirety and the intended transferee will acquire no rights to the stock.

All certificates representing shares of our common stock will bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above. The foregoing ownership limitations could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of Corrections Corporation that might involve a premium price for the common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of stockholders.

As set forth in the Treasury Regulations, every owner of a specified percentage (or more) of the outstanding shares of our stock (including both common stock and preferred stock) must file a completed questionnaire with us containing information regarding their ownership of such shares. Under current Treasury Regulations, the

 

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percentage will be set between 0.5% and 5.0%, depending upon the number of record holders of our shares of stock. Under our charter, each common stockholder shall upon demand be required to disclose to us in writing such information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such common stockholder’s actual and constructive ownership of common stock on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limit, or any other limit as provided in our charter or as otherwise permitted by our board of directors.

 

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UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding our company’s election to be taxed as a REIT and the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our capital stock or debt securities. Supplemental U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to holders of the securities offered by this prospectus may be provided in the prospectus supplement that relates to those securities. For purposes of this discussion, references to “we,” “our” and “us” mean only Corrections Corporation of America and do not include any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise indicated. This summary is for general information only and is not tax advice. The information in this summary is based on:

 

•

the Code;

 

•

current, temporary and proposed Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code;

 

•

the legislative history of the Code;

 

•

administrative interpretations and practices of the IRS; and

 

•

court decisions;

in each case, as of the date of this prospectus. In addition, the administrative interpretations and practices of the IRS include its practices and policies as expressed in private letter rulings that are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the particular taxpayers who requested and received those rulings. Future legislation, Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations and practices and/or court decisions may adversely affect the tax considerations contained in this discussion. Any such change could apply retroactively to transactions preceding the date of the change. We have received a private letter ruling from the IRS with respect to certain issues relevant to our qualification as a REIT. Although we may generally rely upon the ruling, no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge our qualification as a REIT on the basis of other issues or facts outside the scope of the ruling, and the statements in this prospectus are not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, we can provide no assurance that the tax considerations contained in this discussion will not be challenged by the IRS or will be sustained by a court if challenged by the IRS. This summary does not discuss any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences, or any tax consequences arising under any federal tax laws other than federal income tax laws, associated with the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our capital stock or debt securities, or our election to be taxed as a REIT.

You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences to you of:

 

•

the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our capital stock or debt securities, including the federal, state, local, non-U.S. and other tax consequences;

 

•

our election to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; and

 

•

potential changes in applicable tax laws.

Taxation of Our Company

General. We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2013. We believe that we have been organized and have operated in a manner that has allowed us to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2013, and we intend to continue to be organized and operate in this manner. However, qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we have been organized and have operated, or will continue to be organized and operate, in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT. See “—Failure to Qualify” for any potential tax consequences if we fail to qualify as a REIT.

 

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The sections of the Code and the corresponding Treasury Regulations that relate to qualification and taxation as a REIT are highly technical and complex. The following discussion sets forth certain material aspects of the sections of the Code that govern the federal income tax treatment of a REIT and the holders of certain of its securities. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the applicable Code provisions, Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof.

Latham & Watkins LLP has acted as our tax counsel in connection with this prospectus and our election to be taxed as a REIT. Latham & Watkins LLP has rendered an opinion to us to the effect that, commencing with our taxable year ending December 31, 2013, we have been organized and have operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and our proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. It must be emphasized that this opinion was based on various assumptions and representations as to factual matters, including representations made by us in a factual certificate provided by one of our officers. In addition, this opinion was based upon our factual representations set forth in this prospectus. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, which are discussed below, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed by Latham & Watkins LLP. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that our actual results of operation for any particular taxable year have satisfied or will satisfy those requirements. Further, the anticipated federal income tax treatment described herein may be changed, perhaps retroactively, by legislative, administrative or judicial action at any time. Latham & Watkins LLP has no obligation to update its opinion subsequent to the date of such opinion.

Provided we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be required to pay federal corporate income taxes on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the “double taxation” that ordinarily results from investment in a C corporation. A C corporation is a corporation that generally is required to pay tax at the corporate level. Double taxation means taxation once at the corporate level when income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when the income is distributed. We will, however, be required to pay federal income tax as follows:

 

•

First, we will be required to pay tax at regular corporate rates on any undistributed REIT taxable income, including undistributed net capital gains.

 

•

Second, we may be required to pay the “alternative minimum tax” on our items of tax preference under some circumstances.

 

•

Third, if we have (1) net income from the sale or other disposition of “foreclosure property” held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business or (2) other nonqualifying income from foreclosure property, we will be required to pay tax at the highest corporate rate on this income. To the extent that income from foreclosure property is otherwise qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, this tax is not applicable. Subject to certain other requirements, foreclosure property generally is defined as property we acquired through foreclosure or after a default on a loan secured by the property or a lease of the property.

 

•

Fourth, we will be required to pay a 100% tax on any net income from prohibited transactions. Prohibited transactions are, in general, sales or other taxable dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business.

 

•

Fifth, if we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as described below, but have otherwise maintained our qualification as a REIT because certain other requirements are met, we will be required to pay a tax equal to (1) the greater of (A) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test and (B) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 95% gross income test, multiplied by (2) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.

 

•

Sixth, if we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests (other than a de minimis failure of the 5% or 10% asset test), as described below, due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, and we nonetheless

 

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maintain our REIT qualification because of specified cure provisions, we will be required to pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets that caused us to fail such test.

 

•

Seventh, if we fail to satisfy any provision of the Code that would result in our failure to qualify as a REIT (other than a violation of the gross income tests or certain violations of the asset tests, as described below) and the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, we may retain our REIT qualification but we will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure.

 

•

Eighth, we will be required to pay a 4% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our ordinary income for the year, (2) 95% of our capital gain net income for the year, and (3) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods.

 

•

Ninth, if we acquire any asset from a corporation that is or has been a C corporation in a transaction in which our basis in the asset is less than the fair market value of the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset, and we subsequently recognize gain on the disposition of the asset during the ten-year period beginning on the date on which we acquired the asset, then we generally will be required to pay tax at the highest regular corporate tax rate on this gain to the extent of the excess of (1) the fair market value of the asset over (2) our adjusted basis in the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset. The results described in this paragraph with respect to the recognition of gain assume that the C corporation will refrain from making an election to receive different treatment under applicable Treasury Regulations on its tax return for the year in which we acquire the asset from the C corporation. Under applicable Treasury Regulations, any gain from the sale of property we acquired in an exchange under Section 1031 (a like-kind exchange) or 1033 (an involuntary conversion) of the Code generally are excluded from the application of this built-in gains tax.

 

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Tenth, our subsidiaries that are C corporations, including our “taxable REIT subsidiaries” described below, generally will be required to pay federal corporate income tax on their earnings.

 

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Eleventh, we will be required to pay a 100% tax on any “redetermined rents,” “redetermined deductions” or “excess interest,” as described below under “—Penalty Tax.” In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of services furnished to any of our tenants by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours. Redetermined deductions and excess interest generally represent amounts that are deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s length negotiations.

 

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Twelfth, we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net capital gain. In that case, a stockholder would include its proportionate share of our undistributed net capital gain (to the extent we make a timely designation of such gain to the stockholder) in its income, would be deemed to have paid the tax that we paid on such gain, and would be allowed a credit for its proportionate share of the tax deemed to have been paid, and an adjustment would be made to increase the basis of the stockholder in our capital stock.

 

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Thirteenth, if we fail to comply with the requirement to send annual letters to our stockholders requesting information regarding the actual ownership of our stock, and the failure is not due to reasonable cause or due to willful neglect, we will be subject to a $25,000 penalty, or if the failure is intentional, a $50,000 penalty.

Other countries may impose taxes on our operations within their jurisdictions. To the extent possible, we will structure our activities to minimize our non-U.S. tax liability. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to eliminate our non-U.S. tax liability or reduce it to a specified level. Furthermore, as a REIT, both we and our stockholders will derive little or no benefit from foreign tax credits arising from those non-U.S. taxes.

 

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Requirements for Qualification as a REIT. The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:

 

(1)

that is managed by one or more trustees or directors;

 

(2)

that issues transferable shares or transferable certificates to evidence its beneficial ownership;

 

(3)

that would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for Sections 856 through 860 of the Code;\

 

(4)

that is not a financial institution or an insurance company within the meaning of certain provisions of the Code;

 

(5)

that is beneficially owned by 100 or more persons;

 

(6)

not more than 50% in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals, including certain specified entities, during the last half of each taxable year; and

 

(7)

that meets other tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its distributions.

The Code provides that conditions (1) to (4), inclusive, must be met during the entire taxable year and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. Conditions (5) and (6) do not apply until after the first taxable year for which an election is made to be taxed as a REIT. For purposes of condition (6), the term “individual” includes a supplemental unemployment compensation benefit plan, a private foundation or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes, but generally does not include a qualified pension plan or profit sharing trust.

We believe that we have been organized and have operated in a manner that has allowed us, and will continue to allow us, to satisfy conditions (1) through (7) inclusive, during the relevant time periods. In addition, our charter provides for restrictions regarding ownership and transfer of our shares that are intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in (5) and (6) above. A description of the share ownership and transfer restrictions relating to our capital stock is contained in the discussion under the heading “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” These restrictions, however, do not ensure that we have previously satisfied, and may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to continue to satisfy, the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, except as provided in the next sentence, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the rules contained in applicable Treasury Regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our shares and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we failed to meet the requirement described in condition (6) above, we will be treated as having met this requirement. See “—Failure to Qualify.”

In addition, we may not maintain our status as a REIT unless our taxable year is the calendar year. We have and will continue to have a calendar taxable year.

Ownership of Interests in Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership or a member in a limited liability company treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, Treasury Regulations provide that the REIT will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, based on its interest in partnership capital, subject to special rules relating to the 10% asset test described below. Also, the REIT will be deemed to be entitled to its proportionate share of the income of that entity. The assets and gross income of the partnership or limited liability company retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of Section 856 of the Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and the asset tests. Thus, our pro rata share of the assets and items of income of any partnership or limited liability company treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes in which we directly or indirectly own an

 

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interest is treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this discussion, including the gross income and asset tests described below. A brief summary of the rules governing the federal income taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies is set forth below in “—Tax Aspects of the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies.”

We generally have control of our subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies and intend to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT. We may from time to time be a limited partner or non-managing member in some of our partnerships and limited liability companies. If a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a gross income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below.

We may from time to time own and operate certain properties through wholly-owned subsidiaries that we intend to be treated as “qualified REIT subsidiaries” under the Code. A corporation will qualify as our qualified REIT subsidiary if we own 100% of the corporation’s outstanding stock and do not elect with the subsidiary to treat it as a “taxable REIT subsidiary,” as described below. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not treated as a separate corporation, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary are treated as assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the parent REIT for all purposes under the Code, including all REIT qualification tests. Thus, in applying the federal tax requirements described in this discussion, any qualified REIT subsidiaries we own are ignored, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of such corporations are treated as our assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not subject to federal income tax, and our ownership of the stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary will not violate the restrictions on ownership of securities, as described below under “—Asset Tests.”

Ownership of Interests in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. We currently own an interest in a number of taxable REIT subsidiaries and may acquire securities in additional taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. A taxable REIT subsidiary is a corporation other than a REIT in which a REIT directly or indirectly holds stock, and that has made a joint election with such REIT to be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary. If a taxable REIT subsidiary owns more than 35% of the total voting power or value of the outstanding securities of another corporation, such other corporation will also be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary. Other than some activities relating to lodging and health care facilities, a taxable REIT subsidiary may generally engage in any business, including the provision of customary or non-customary services to tenants of its parent REIT. We believe that the prisons and other correctional facilities we operate and will continue to operate are not and will not be treated as lodging or health care facilities for this purpose. A taxable REIT subsidiary is subject to federal income tax as a regular C corporation. In addition, a taxable REIT subsidiary may be prevented from deducting interest on debt funded directly or indirectly by its parent REIT if certain tests regarding the taxable REIT subsidiary’s debt to equity ratio and interest expense are not satisfied. A REIT’s ownership of securities of a taxable REIT subsidiary is not subject to the 5% or 10% asset test described below. See “—Asset Tests.”

Income Tests. We must satisfy two gross income requirements annually to maintain our qualification as a REIT. First, in each taxable year we must derive directly or indirectly at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions and certain foreign currency gains) from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property, including “rents from real property,” dividends from other REITs and, in certain circumstances, interest, or certain types of temporary investments. Second, in each taxable year we must derive at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions, and certain foreign currency gains) from the real property investments described above or dividends, interest and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or from any combination of the foregoing. For these purposes, the term “interest” generally does not

 

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include any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of all or some of the amount depends in any way on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “interest” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.

Rents we receive from a tenant, including payments we receive from governmental agencies for use of our facilities, will qualify as “rents from real property” for the purpose of satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if all of the following conditions are met:

 

•

The amount of rent is not based in any way on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount we receive or accrue generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely because it is based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales;

 

•

Neither we nor an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of our capital stock actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the interests in the assets or net profits of a non-corporate tenant, or, if the tenant is a corporation, 10% or more of the voting power or value of all classes of stock of the tenant. Rents we receive from such a tenant that is a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours, however, will not be excluded from the definition of “rents from real property” as a result of this condition if at least 90% of the space at the property to which the rents relate is leased to third parties, and the rents paid by the taxable REIT subsidiary are substantially comparable to rents paid by our other tenants for comparable space. Whether rents paid by a taxable REIT subsidiary are substantially comparable to rents paid by other tenants is determined at the time the lease with the taxable REIT subsidiary is entered into, extended, and modified, if such modification increases the rents due under such lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, if a lease with a “controlled taxable REIT subsidiary” is modified and such modification results in an increase in the rents payable by such taxable REIT subsidiary, any such increase will not qualify as “rents from real property.” For purposes of this rule, a “controlled taxable REIT subsidiary” is a taxable REIT subsidiary in which the parent REIT owns stock possessing more than 50% of the voting power or more than 50% of the total value of the outstanding stock of such taxable REIT subsidiary;

 

•

Rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is not greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. If this condition is not met, then the portion of the rent attributable to personal property will not qualify as “rents from real property.” To the extent that rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, exceeds 15% of the total rent received under the lease, we may transfer a portion of such personal property to a taxable REIT subsidiary; and

 

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We generally do not operate or manage the property or furnish or render services to our tenants, subject to a 1% de minimis exception and except as provided below. We may, however, perform services that are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant” of the property. Examples of these services include the provision of light, heat, or other utilities, trash removal and general maintenance of common areas. In addition, we may employ an independent contractor from whom we derive no revenue to provide customary services, or a taxable REIT subsidiary (which may be wholly or partially owned by us) to provide both customary and non-customary services to our tenants without causing the rent we receive from those tenants to fail to qualify as “rents from real property.” We presently contract with CCA of Tennessee, LLC, our wholly-owned taxable REIT subsidiary, to provide substantially all of the services we are obligated to provide to the governmental agencies that use our prisons and other correctional facilities, and expect to continue to do so in the future. Amounts we receive from our taxable REIT subsidiaries with respect their provision of services are expected to be treated as dividends or interest, which would qualify for the 95% gross income test, but not the 75% gross income test.

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determine, based on the advice of our tax counsel, that the failure will not jeopardize our tax status as a REIT. In addition, with respect to the limitation on the rental of personal property, we generally have not obtained appraisals of the real property and personal property leased to tenants. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value.

From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, options to purchase these items, and futures and forward contracts. Income from a hedging transaction, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, that is clearly identified as a hedging transaction as specified in the Code will not constitute gross income and thus will be exempt from the 75% and 95% gross income tests. The term “hedging transaction,” as used above, generally means any transaction we enter into in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of (1) interest rate changes or fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made by us to acquire or carry real estate assets, or (2) currency fluctuations with respect to an item of qualifying income under the 75% or 95% gross income test. To the extent that we do not properly identify such transactions as hedges or we hedge with other types of financial instruments, the income from those transactions is not likely to be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our status as a REIT.

We have an investment in an entity located outside the United States and in the future we may invest in additional entities or properties located outside the United States. In addition, from time to time we may acquire additional properties outside of the United States, through a taxable REIT subsidiary or otherwise. These acquisitions could cause us to incur foreign currency gains or losses. Any foreign currency gains, to the extent attributable to specified items of qualifying income or gain, or specified qualifying assets, however, generally will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, and therefore will be excluded from these tests.

To the extent our taxable REIT subsidiaries pay dividends, we generally will derive our allocable share of such dividend income. Such dividend income will qualify under the 95%, but not the 75%, gross income test.

We will monitor the amount of the dividend and other income from our taxable REIT subsidiaries and will take actions intended to keep this income, and any other nonqualifying income, within the limitations of the gross income tests. Although we expect these actions will be sufficient to prevent a violation of the gross income tests, we cannot guarantee that such actions will in all cases prevent such a violation.

If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for the year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. We generally may make use of the relief provisions if:

 

•

following our identification of the failure to meet the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we file a schedule with the IRS setting forth each item of our gross income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for such taxable year in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be issued; and

 

•

our failure to meet these tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect.

It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. For example, if we fail to satisfy the gross income tests because nonqualifying income that we intentionally accrue or receive exceeds the limits on nonqualifying income, the IRS could conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not due to reasonable cause. If these relief provisions do not apply to a particular set of circumstances, we will not qualify as a REIT. As discussed above in “—Taxation of Our Company—General,” even if these relief provisions apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, a tax would be imposed with respect to our nonqualifying income. We may not always be able to comply with the gross income tests for REIT qualification despite periodic monitoring of our income.

 

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Prohibited Transaction Income. Any gain that we realize on the sale of property held as inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax, unless certain safe harbor exceptions apply. Our gain would include any gain realized by our qualified REIT subsidiaries and our share of any gain realized by any of the partnerships or limited liability companies in which we own an interest. This prohibited transaction income may also adversely affect our ability to satisfy the gross income tests for qualification as a REIT. Under existing law, whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. We intend to hold our properties for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing and owning our properties and to make occasional sales of the properties as are consistent with our investment objectives. We do not intend to enter into any sales that are prohibited transactions. However, the IRS may successfully contend that some or all of the sales made by us or our subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies are prohibited transactions. We would be required to pay the 100% penalty tax on our allocable share of the gains resulting from any such sales.

Penalty Tax. Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions or excess interest we generate will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of any services furnished to any of our tenants by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours, and redetermined deductions and excess interest represent any amounts that are deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s length negotiations. Rents we receive will not constitute redetermined rents if they qualify for certain safe harbor provisions contained in the Code.

Our taxable REIT subsidiaries provide material services to the governmental agencies that use our prisons and other correctional facilities. We believe we have set, and we intend to set in the future, any fees paid to our taxable REIT subsidiaries for such services at arm’s length rates, although the fees paid may not satisfy the safe-harbor provisions described above. These determinations are inherently factual, and the IRS has broad discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to clearly reflect their respective incomes. If the IRS successfully made such an assertion, we would be required to pay a 100% penalty tax on the excess of an arm’s length fee for tenant services over the amount actually paid.

Asset Tests. At the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy certain tests relating to the nature and diversification of our assets. First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets must be represented by real estate assets, cash, cash items and U.S. government securities. For purposes of this test, the term “real estate assets” generally means real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property) and shares (or transferable certificates of beneficial interest) in other REITs, as well as any stock or debt instrument attributable to the investment of the proceeds of a stock offering or a public offering of debt with a term of at least five years, but only for the one-year period beginning on the date the REIT receives such proceeds.

Second, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by securities (including securities of taxable REIT subsidiaries), other than those securities includable in the 75% asset test.

Third, of the investments included in the 25% asset class, and except for investments in other REITs, our qualified REIT subsidiaries and taxable REIT subsidiaries, the value of any one issuer’s securities may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets, and we may not own more than 10% of the total vote or value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer except, in the case of the 10% value test, securities satisfying the “straight debt” safe-harbor or securities issued by a partnership that itself would satisfy the 75% income test if it were a REIT. Certain types of securities we may own are disregarded as securities solely for purposes of the 10% value test, including, but not limited to, any loan to an individual or an estate, any obligation to pay rents from real property and any security issued by a REIT. In addition, solely for purposes of the 10% value test, the determination of our interest in the assets of a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an

 

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interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership or limited liability company, excluding for this purpose certain securities described in the Code. From time to time we may own securities (including debt securities) of issuers that do not qualify as a REIT, a qualified REIT subsidiary or a taxable REIT subsidiary. We intend that our ownership of any such securities will be structured in a manner that allows us to comply with the asset tests described above.

Fourth, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by the securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. We currently own 100% of the stock of certain corporations that have elected, together with us, to be treated as our taxable REIT subsidiaries. So long as each of these companies qualifies as a taxable REIT subsidiary, we will not be subject to the 5% asset test, the 10% voting securities limitation or the 10% value limitation with respect to our ownership of their stock. We may acquire securities in other taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. We believe that the aggregate value of our taxable REIT subsidiaries has not exceeded, and in the future will not exceed, 25% of the aggregate value of our gross assets. We generally do not obtain independent appraisals to support these conclusions. In addition, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value.

The asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year in which we (directly or through our qualified REIT subsidiaries, partnerships or limited liability companies) acquire securities in the applicable issuer, and also at the close of each calendar quarter in which we increase our ownership of securities of such issuer (including as a result of increasing our interest in a partnership or limited liability company that owns such securities, or acquiring other assets). For example, our indirect ownership of securities of each issuer may increase as a result of our capital contributions to, or the redemption of other partners’ or members’ interests in, a partnership or limited liability company in which we have an ownership interest. However, after initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values. If we fail to satisfy an asset test because we acquire securities or other property during a quarter (including as a result of an increase in our interests in a partnership or limited liability company), we may cure this failure by disposing of sufficient nonqualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We believe that we have maintained, and we intend to maintain, adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests. If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests within the 30-day cure period, we would cease to qualify as a REIT unless we are eligible for certain relief provisions discussed below.

Certain relief provisions may be available to us if we discover a failure to satisfy the asset tests described above after the 30-day cure period. Under these provisions, we will be deemed to have met the 5% and 10% asset tests if the value of our nonqualifying assets (i) does not exceed the lesser of (a) 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the applicable quarter or (b) $10,000,000, and (ii) we dispose of the nonqualifying assets or otherwise satisfy such tests within (a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued. For violations of any of the asset tests due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and that are, in the case of the 5% and 10% asset tests, in excess of the de minimis exception described above, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT after the 30-day cure period by taking steps including (i) the disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets, or the taking of other actions, which allow us to meet the asset tests within (a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued, (ii) paying a tax equal to the greater of (a) $50,000 or (b) the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets, and (iii) disclosing certain information to the IRS.

Although we believe we have satisfied the asset tests described above and plan to take steps to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which retesting is to occur, there can be no assurance that we will always be successful, or will not require a reduction in our overall interest in an issuer (including in a taxable REIT subsidiary). If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests in a timely manner, and the relief provisions described above are not available, we would cease to qualify as a REIT.

 

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Annual Distribution Requirements. To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to the sum of:

 

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90% of our “REIT taxable income”; and

 

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90% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property; minus

 

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the excess of the sum of certain items of non-cash income over 5% of our “REIT taxable income.”

For these purposes, our “REIT taxable income” is computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain. In addition, for purposes of this test, non-cash income generally means income attributable to leveled stepped rents, original issue discount on purchase money debt, cancellation of indebtedness, or a like-kind exchange that is later determined to be taxable.

In addition, our “REIT taxable income” will be reduced by any taxes we are required to pay on any gain we recognize from the disposition of any asset we acquired from a corporation that is or has been a C corporation in a transaction in which our basis in the asset is less than the fair market value of the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset, within the ten-year period following our acquisition of such asset, as described above under “—General.”

We generally must pay, or be treated as paying, the distributions described above in the taxable year to which they relate. At our election, a distribution will be treated as paid in a taxable year if it is declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration, provided such payment is made during the 12-month period following the close of such year. These distributions are treated as received by our stockholders in the year in which they are paid. This is so even though these distributions relate to the prior year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement. In order to be taken into account for purposes of our distribution requirement, the amount distributed must not be preferential—i.e., every stockholder of the class of stock to which a distribution is made must be treated the same as every other stockholder of that class, and no class of stock may be treated other than according to its dividend rights as a class. To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain, or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our “REIT taxable income,” as adjusted, we will be required to pay tax on the undistributed amount at regular corporate tax rates. We believe that we have made, and we intend to continue to make, timely distributions sufficient to satisfy these annual distribution requirements and to minimize our corporate tax obligations.

We expect that our REIT taxable income will be less than our cash flow because of depreciation and other non-cash charges included in computing REIT taxable income. Accordingly, we anticipate that we generally will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses in determining our taxable income. In addition, we may decide to retain our cash, rather than distribute it, in order to repay debt or for other reasons. If these timing differences occur, we may borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends in the form of taxable stock dividends in order to meet the distribution requirements, while preserving our cash.

Under some circumstances, we may be able to rectify an inadvertent failure to meet the 90% distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our stockholders in a later year, which 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, subject to the 4% excise tax described below. However, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction claimed for deficiency dividends.

Furthermore, we will be required to pay a 4% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of 85% of our ordinary income for such year, 95% of our capital gain net income

 

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for the year and any undistributed taxable income from prior periods. Any ordinary income and net capital gain on which this excise tax is imposed for any year is treated as an amount distributed during that year for purposes of calculating such tax.

For purposes of the 90% distribution requirement and excise tax described above, dividends declared during the last three months of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date during such period and paid during January of the following year, will be treated as paid by us and received by our stockholders on December 31 of the year in which they are declared.

Like-Kind Exchanges. We may dispose of properties in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under the Code. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for federal income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could require us to pay federal income tax, possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction.

Failure to Qualify. If we discover a violation of a provision of the Code that would result in our failure to qualify as a REIT, certain specified cure provisions may be available to us. Except with respect to violations of the gross income tests and asset tests (for which the cure provisions are described above), and provided the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, these cure provisions generally impose a $50,000 penalty for each violation in lieu of a loss of REIT status. If we fail to satisfy the requirements for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the relief provisions do not apply, we will be required to pay tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us, and we will not be required to distribute any amounts to our stockholders. As a result, we anticipate that our failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce the cash available for distribution by us to our stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, all distributions to stockholders will be taxable as regular corporate dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. In such event, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. In addition, non-corporate stockholders, including individuals, may be eligible for the preferential tax rates on qualified dividend income. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we would also be ineligible to elect to be treated as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year for which we lose our qualification. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to this statutory relief.

Tax Aspects of the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies

General. From time to time, we may own, directly or indirectly, interests in various partnerships and limited liability companies. We expect these will be treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for federal income tax purposes. In general, entities that are treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for federal income tax purposes are “pass-through” entities which are not required to pay federal income tax. Rather, partners or members of such entities are allocated their shares of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the partnership or limited liability company, and are potentially required to pay tax on this income, without regard to whether they receive a distribution from the partnership or limited liability company. We will include in our income our share of these partnership and limited liability company items for purposes of the various gross income tests, the computation of our REIT taxable income, and the REIT distribution requirements. Moreover, for purposes of the asset tests, we will include our pro rata share of assets held by these partnerships and limited liability companies, based on our capital interests in each such entity. See “—Taxation of Our Company.”

Entity Classification. Our interests in the subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies involve special tax considerations, including the possibility that the IRS might challenge the status of these entities as partnerships (or disregarded entities). For example, an entity that would otherwise be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a “publicly traded partnership” and certain other requirements are met. A partnership or limited liability company would be treated as a publicly traded partnership if its interests are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a

 

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secondary market or a substantial equivalent thereof, within the meaning of applicable Treasury Regulations. We do not anticipate that any subsidiary partnership or limited liability company will be treated as a publicly traded partnership that is taxable as a corporation. However, if any such entity were treated as a corporation, it would be required to pay an entity-level tax on its income. In this situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change and could prevent us from satisfying the REIT asset tests and possibly the REIT income tests. See “—Taxation of Our Company—Asset Tests” and “—Income Tests.” This, in turn, could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. See “—Failure to Qualify” for a discussion of the effect of our failure to meet these tests. In addition, a change in the tax status of one or more of the partnerships or limited liability companies might be treated as a taxable event. If so, we might incur a tax liability without any related cash payment. We believe that each of our partnerships and limited liability companies have been and will continue to be treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for federal income tax purposes.

Allocations of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. A partnership or limited liability company agreement will generally determine the allocation of income and losses among partners or members, provided such allocations comply with the provisions of Section 704(b) of the Code and the related Treasury Regulations. If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ or members’ interests in the partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be. This reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners or members with respect to such item. We intend that the allocations of taxable income and loss in each of the partnerships and limited liability companies in which we own an interest from time to time comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

Tax Allocations With Respect to the Properties. Under Section 704(c) of the Code, income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership or limited liability company in exchange for an interest in the partnership or limited liability company must be allocated in a manner so that the contributing partner or member is charged with the unrealized gain or benefits from the unrealized loss associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or unrealized loss generally is equal to the difference between the fair market value or book value and the adjusted tax basis of the contributed property at the time of contribution, as adjusted from time to time. These allocations are solely for federal income tax purposes and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners or members. If a partnership and/or limited liability company in which we own an interest is formed by way of or otherwise receives contributions of appreciated property, we expect that the relevant partnership or limited liability company agreement will require that that allocations be made in a manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Code. Under Section 704(c) of the Code we could be allocated less depreciation or more gain on sale with respect to a contributed property than the amounts that would have been allocated to us if we had instead acquired the contributed property with an initial tax basis equal to its fair market value.

Any property acquired by a subsidiary partnership or limited liability company in a taxable transaction will initially have a tax basis equal to its fair market value, and Section 704(c) of the Code generally will not apply.

Federal Income Tax Considerations for Holders of Our Capital Stock and Debt Securities

The following summary describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning and disposing of our capital stock or debt securities. This summary assumes you hold shares of our capital stock or debt securities as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code). It does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances. In addition, except where specifically noted, this discussion does not address the tax consequences relevant to persons subject to special rules, including, without limitation:

 

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banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions;

 

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tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations;

 

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•

S corporations, partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein);

 

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persons who hold or receive our capital stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation;

 

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persons subject to the alternative minimum tax;

 

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regulated investment companies and REITs;

 

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“controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

 

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broker, dealers or traders in securities;

 

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U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

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persons holding our capital stock or debt securities as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a conversion transaction or other integrated investment;

 

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persons deemed to sell our capital stock or debt securities under the constructive sale provisions of the Code; or

 

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United States persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar.

If you are considering acquiring our capital stock or debt securities, you should consult your tax advisor concerning the application of U.S. federal income tax laws to your particular situation as well as any consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our capital stock or debt securities arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty.

When we use the term “U.S. holder,” we mean a holder of shares of our capital stock or debt securities who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:

 

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an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

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a corporation, including an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof or in the District of Columbia;

 

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an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

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a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and the control of one or more United States persons or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.

If you are an individual, corporation, estate or trust that holds shares of our capital stock or debt securities and you are not a U.S. holder, you are a “non-U.S. holder.”

If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds shares of our capital stock or debt securities, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships holding shares of our capital stock or debt securities and the partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.

Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders of Our Capital Stock

Distributions Generally. Distributions out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as dividends and, other than with respect to capital gain dividends and certain amounts which have previously been subject to corporate level tax, as discussed below, will be taxable to our taxable U.S. holders as ordinary

 

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income when actually or constructively received. See “—Tax Rates” below. As long as we qualify as a REIT, these distributions will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of U.S. holders that are corporations or, except to the extent described in “—Tax Rates” below, the preferential rates on qualified dividend income applicable to non-corporate U.S. holders, including individuals. For purposes of determining whether distributions to holders of our capital stock are out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to our outstanding preferred stock, if any, and then to our outstanding common stock.

To the extent that we make distributions on our capital stock in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocable to such stock, these distributions will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to a U.S. holder. This treatment will reduce the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in such shares of stock by the amount of the distribution, but not below zero. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and in excess of a U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares will be taxable as capital gain. Such gain will be taxable as long-term capital gain if the shares have been held for more than one year. Dividends we declare in October, November, or December of any year and which are payable to a holder of record on a specified date in any of these months will be treated as both paid by us and received by the holder on December 31 of that year, provided we actually pay the dividend on or before January 31 of the following year. U.S. holders may not include in their own income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.

U.S. holders that receive taxable stock dividends, including dividends partially payable in our capital stock and partially payable in cash, would be required to include the full amount of the dividend (i.e., the cash and the stock portion) as ordinary income (subject to limited exceptions) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as described above. The amount of any dividend payable in our capital stock generally is equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of the capital stock. Depending on the circumstances of a U.S. holder, the tax on the distribution may exceed the amount of the distribution received in cash, in which case such U.S. holder would have to pay the tax using cash from other sources. If a U.S. holder sells the capital stock it received in connection with a taxable stock dividend in order to pay this tax and the proceeds of such sale are less than the amount required to be included in income with respect to the stock portion of the dividend, such U.S. holder could have a capital loss with respect to the stock sale that could not be used to offset such dividend income. A U.S. holder that receives capital stock pursuant to a distribution generally has a tax basis in such capital stock equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of such capital stock as described above, and has a holding period in such capital stock that begins on the day immediately following the payment date for the distribution.

Capital Gain Dividends. Dividends that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be taxable to our taxable U.S. holders as a gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset held for more than one year, to the extent that such gain does not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year. U.S. holders that are corporations may, however, be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. If we properly designate any portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend then, except as otherwise required by law, we presently intend to allocate a portion of the total capital gain dividends paid or made available to holders of all classes of our capital stock for the year to the holders of each class of our capital stock in proportion to the amount that our total dividends, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to the holders of each such class of our capital stock for the year bears to the total dividends, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to holders of all classes of our capital stock for the year. In addition, except as otherwise required by law, we will make a similar allocation with respect to any undistributed long term capital gains which are to be included in our stockholders’ long term capital gains, based on the allocation of the capital gain amount which would have resulted if those undistributed long term capital gains had been distributed as “capital gain dividends” by us to our stockholders.

 

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Retention of Net Capital Gains. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute as a capital gain dividend, all or a portion of our net capital gains. If we make this election, we would pay tax on our retained net capital gains. In addition, to the extent we so elect, our earnings and profits (determined for federal income tax purposes) would be adjusted accordingly, and a U.S. holder generally would:

 

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include its pro rata share of our undistributed net capital gains in computing its long-term capital gains in its return for its taxable year in which the last day of our taxable year falls, subject to certain limitations as to the amount that is includable;

 

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be deemed to have paid its share of the capital gains tax imposed on us on the designated amounts included in the U.S. holder’s income as long-term capital gain;

 

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receive a credit or refund for the amount of tax deemed paid by it;

 

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increase the adjusted basis of its capital stock by the difference between the amount of includable gains and the tax deemed to have been paid by it; and

 

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in the case of a U.S. holder that is a corporation, appropriately adjust its earnings and profits for the retained capital gains in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be promulgated by the IRS.

Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations. Distributions we make and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. holder of our capital stock will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. holders generally will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against this income or gain. A U.S. holder may elect to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the disposition of our capital stock and income designated as qualified dividend income, as described in “—Tax Rates” below, as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation, but in such case, the holder will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amount. Other distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation.

Dispositions of Our Capital Stock. Except as described below under “Redemption or Repurchase by Us,” if a U.S. holder sells or disposes of shares of our capital stock, it will recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on the sale or other disposition and the holder’s adjusted basis in the shares of our capital stock for tax purposes. This gain or loss, except as provided below, will be long-term capital gain or loss if the holder has held such capital stock for more than one year. However, if a U.S. holder recognizes a loss upon the sale or other disposition of capital stock that it has held for six months or less, after applying certain holding period rules, the loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent the U.S. holder received distributions from us which were required to be treated as long-term capital gains.

Redemption or Repurchase by Us. A redemption or repurchase of shares of our capital stock will be treated under Section 302 of the Code as a distribution (and taxable as a dividend to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits as described above under “—Distributions Generally”) unless the redemption or repurchase satisfies one of the tests set forth in Section 302(b) of the Code and is therefore treated as a sale or exchange of the redeemed or repurchased shares. The redemption or repurchase generally will be treated as a sale or exchange if it:

 

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is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. holder;

 

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results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. holder’s stock interest in us; or

 

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is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. holder,

all within the meaning of Section 302(b) of the Code.

In determining whether any of these tests has been met, shares of our capital stock, including common stock and other equity interests in us, considered to be owned by the U.S. holder by reason of certain constructive

 

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ownership rules set forth in the Code, as well as shares of our capital stock actually owned by the U.S. holder, must generally be taken into account. Because the determination as to whether any of the alternative tests of Section 302(b) of the Code will be satisfied with respect to the U.S. holder depends upon the facts and circumstances at the time that the determination must be made, U.S. holders are advised to consult their tax advisors to determine such tax treatment.

If a redemption or repurchase of shares of our capital stock is treated as a distribution taxable as a dividend, the amount of the distribution will be measured by the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received. See “—Distributions Generally.” A U.S. holder’s adjusted basis in the redeemed or repurchased shares of the stock for tax purposes generally will be transferred to its remaining shares of our capital stock, if any. If a U.S. holder owns no other shares of our capital stock, under certain circumstances, such basis may be transferred to a related person or it may be lost entirely. Proposed Treasury Regulations issued in 2009, if enacted in their current form, would affect the basis recovery rules described above. It is not clear whether these proposed regulations will be enacted in their current form or at all. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the federal income tax consequences of a redemption or repurchase of our capital stock.

If a redemption or repurchase of shares of our capital stock is not treated as a distribution taxable as a dividend, it will be treated as a taxable sale or exchange in the manner described under “—Dispositions of Our Capital Stock.”

Tax Rates. The maximum tax rate for non-corporate taxpayers for (1) long-term capital gains, including certain “capital gain dividends,” is generally 20% (although depending on the characteristics of the assets which produced these gains and on designations which we may make, certain capital gain dividends may be taxed at a 25% rate) and (2) “qualified dividend income” is generally 20%. In general, dividends payable by REITs are not eligible for the reduced tax rate on qualified dividend income, except to the extent that certain holding period requirements have been met and the REIT’s dividends are attributable to dividends received from taxable corporations (such as its taxable REIT subsidiaries) or to income that was subject to tax at the corporate/REIT level (for example, if the REIT distributed taxable income that it retained and paid tax on in the prior taxable year). In addition, U.S. holders that are corporations may be required to treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income.

Taxation of Tax-Exempt Holders of Our Capital Stock

Dividend income from us and gain arising upon a sale of shares of our capital stock generally should not be unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI, to a tax-exempt holder, except as described below. This income or gain generally will be UBTI, however, if a tax-exempt holder holds its shares as “debt-financed property” within the meaning of the Code. Generally, “debt-financed property” is property the acquisition or holding of which was financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt holder.

For tax-exempt holders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, or qualified group legal services plans exempt from federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) or (c)(20) of the Code, respectively, income from an investment in our shares will constitute UBTI unless the organization is able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for specific purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our shares. These prospective investors should consult their tax advisors concerning these “set aside” and reserve requirements.

Notwithstanding the above, however, a portion of the dividends paid by a “pension-held REIT” may be treated as unrelated business taxable income as to certain trusts that hold more than 10%, by value, of the interests in the REIT. A REIT will not be a “pension-held REIT” if it is able to satisfy the “not closely held” requirement without relying on the “look-through” exception with respect to certain trusts or if such REIT is not “predominantly held” by “qualified trusts.” As a result of restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock

 

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contained in our charter, we do not expect to be classified as a “pension-held REIT,” and as a result, the tax treatment described above should be inapplicable to our holders. However, because our stock is publicly traded, we cannot guarantee that this will always be the case.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of Our Capital Stock

The following discussion addresses the rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our capital stock by non-U.S. holders. These rules are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary of such rules. Accordingly, the discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation and does not address state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences that may be relevant to a non-U.S. holder in light of its particular circumstances. We urge non-U.S. holders to consult their tax advisors to determine the impact of federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax laws and any applicable tax treaty on the acquisition, ownership and disposition of shares of our capital stock, including any reporting requirements.

Distributions Generally. Distributions (including any taxable stock dividends) that are neither attributable to gains from sales or exchanges by us of United States real property interests, or USRPIs, nor designated by us as capital gain dividends (except as described below) will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions ordinarily will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, unless the distributions are treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable). Under certain treaties, however, lower withholding rates generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from a REIT. Certain certification and disclosure requirements must be satisfied for a non-U.S. holder to be exempt from withholding under the effectively connected income exemption. Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business generally will not be subject to withholding but will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis at the regular graduated rates, in the same manner as dividends paid to U.S. holders are subject to federal income tax. Any such dividends received by a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate (applicable after deducting U.S. federal income taxes paid on such effectively connected income) or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

Except as otherwise provided below, we expect to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30% on any distributions made to a non-U.S. holder unless:

 

(1)

a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. holder files with us an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or applicable successor form) evidencing eligibility for that reduced treaty rate; or

 

(2)

the non-U.S. holder files an IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form) with us claiming that the distribution is income effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s trade or business.

Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a non-U.S. holder to the extent that such distributions do not exceed the adjusted basis of the holder’s capital stock, but rather will reduce the adjusted basis of such stock. To the extent that such distributions exceed the non-U.S. holder’s adjusted basis in such capital stock, they will give rise to gain from the sale or exchange of such stock, the tax treatment of which is described below. For withholding purposes, we expect to treat all distributions as made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. However, amounts withheld may be refundable if it is subsequently determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, provided that certain conditions are met.

 

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Capital Gain Dividends and Distributions Attributable to a Sale or Exchange of United States Real Property Interests. Distributions to a non-U.S. holder that we properly designate as capital gain dividends, other than those arising from the disposition of a USRPI, generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, unless:

 

(1)

the investment in our capital stock is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable), in which case the non-U.S. holder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. holders with respect to such gain, except that a non-U.S. holder that is a non-U.S. corporation may also be subject to a branch profits tax of up to 30%, as discussed above; or

 

(2)

the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met, in which case the non-U.S. holder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% on the non-U.S. holder’s capital gains (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of such non-U.S. holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

Pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, which is referred to as “FIRPTA,” distributions to a non-U.S. holder that are attributable to gain from sales or exchanges by us of USRPIs, whether or not designated as capital gain dividends, will cause the non-U.S. holder to be treated as recognizing such gain as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Non-U.S. holders would generally be taxed at the regular graduated rates applicable to U.S. holders, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax. We also will be required to withhold and to remit to the IRS 35% (or 20% to the extent provided in applicable Treasury Regulations) of any distribution to non-U.S. holders attributable to gain from sales or exchanges by us of USRPIs. Distributions subject to FIRPTA may also be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. However, any distribution with respect to any class of stock that is “regularly traded” on an established securities market located in the United States is not subject to FIRPTA, and therefore, not subject to the 35% U.S. withholding tax described above, if the non-U.S. holder did not own more than 5% of such class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Instead, such distributions generally will be treated as ordinary dividend distributions and subject to withholding in the manner described above with respect to ordinary dividends.

Retention of Net Capital Gains. Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts we designate as retained net capital gains in respect of the capital stock held by U.S. holders generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. holders in the same manner as actual distributions of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. holders would be able to offset as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability their proportionate share of the tax paid by us on such retained net capital gains and to receive from the IRS a refund to the extent their proportionate share of such tax paid by us exceeds their actual U.S. federal income tax liability. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as retained net capital gain, non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the taxation of such retained net capital gain.

Sale of Our Capital Stock. Except as described below under “—Redemption or Repurchase by Us,” gain realized by a non-U.S. holder upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless such stock constitutes a USRPI. In general, stock of a domestic corporation that constitutes a “U.S. real property holding corporation,” or USRPHC, will constitute a USRPI. We believe that we are a USRPHC. Our capital stock will not, however, constitute a USRPI so long as we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity.” A “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” includes a REIT in which at all times during a specified testing period less than 50% in value of its stock is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. persons. We believe, but cannot guarantee, that we are a “domestically

 

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controlled qualified investment entity.” Because our stock is (and, we anticipate, will continue to be) publicly traded, no assurance can be given that we will continue to be a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity.”

Even if we do not qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” at the time a non-U.S. holder sells our capital stock, gain realized from the sale or other taxable disposition by a non-U.S. holder of such capital stock would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax under FIRPTA as a sale of a USRPI if:

 

(1)

such class of capital stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market such as the New York Stock Exchange; and

 

(2)

such non-U.S. holder owned, actually and constructively, 5% or less of such class of capital stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock not otherwise subject to FIRPTA will be taxable to a non-U.S. holder if either (a) the investment in our capital stock is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable), in which case the non-U.S. holder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. holders with respect to such gain, except that a non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation may also be subject to the 30% branch profits tax (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such gain, as adjusted for certain items, or (b) the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met, in which case the non-U.S. holder will be subject to a 30% tax on the non-U.S. holder’s capital gains (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the non-U.S. holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses. In addition, even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, upon disposition of our capital stock, a non-U.S. holder may be treated as having gain from the sale or other taxable disposition of a USRPI if the non-U.S. holder (1) disposes of our capital stock within a 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 the sale or exchange of a USRPI and (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of that stock during the 61-day period beginning with the first day of the 30-day period described in clause (1), unless such stock is “regularly traded” and the non-U.S. holder did not own more than 5% of the stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution described in clause (1).

If gain on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. holder would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and would be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax with respect to such gain in the same manner as a taxable U.S. holder (subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals). In addition, if the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, and if shares of the applicable class of our capital stock were not “regularly traded” on an established securities market, the purchaser of such capital stock generally would be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 10% of the purchase price.

Redemption or Repurchase by Us. A redemption or repurchase of shares of our capital stock will be treated under Section 302 of the Code as a distribution (and taxable as a dividend to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits) unless the redemption or repurchase satisfies one of the tests set forth in Section 302(b) of the Code and is therefore treated as a sale or exchange of the redeemed or repurchased shares. See “—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Holders of Our Capital Stock—Redemption or Repurchase by Us.” If the redemption or repurchase of shares is treated as a distribution, the amount of the distribution will be measured by the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received. See “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of

 

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Our Capital Stock—Distributions Generally.” If the redemption or repurchase of shares is not treated as a distribution, it will be treated as a taxable sale or exchange in the manner described under “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of Our Capital Stock—Sale of Our Capital Stock.”

Taxation of Holders of Our Debt Securities

The following summary describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of our debt securities. This discussion assumes the debt securities will be issued with less than a statutory de minimis amount of original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, this discussion is limited to persons purchasing the debt securities for cash at original issue and at their original “issue price” within the meaning of Section 1273 of the Code (i.e., the first price at which a substantial amount of the debt securities is sold to the public for cash).

U.S. Holders

Payments of Interest. Interest on a debt security generally will be taxable to a U.S. holder as ordinary income at the time such interest is received or accrued, in accordance with such U.S. holder’s method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition. A U.S. holder will recognize gain or loss on the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other taxable disposition of a debt security. The amount of such gain or loss generally will be equal to the difference between the amount received for the debt security in cash or other property valued at fair market value (less amounts attributable to any accrued but unpaid interest, which will be taxable as interest to the extent not previously included in income) and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the debt security. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in a debt security generally will be equal to the amount the U.S. holder paid for the debt security. Any gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder has held the debt security for more than one year at the time of such sale or other taxable disposition. Otherwise, such gain or loss will be short-term capital gain or loss. Long-term capital gains recognized by certain non-corporate U.S. holders, including individuals, generally will be taxable at reduced rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

Non-U.S. Holders

Payments of Interest. Interest paid on a debt security to a non-U.S. holder that is not effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or withholding, provided that:

 

•

the non-U.S. holder does not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock;

 

•

the non-U.S. holder is not a controlled foreign corporation related to us through actual or constructive stock ownership; and

 

•

either (1) the non-U.S. holder certifies in a statement provided to the applicable withholding agent under penalties of perjury that it is not a United States person and provides its name and address; (2) a securities clearing organization, bank or other financial institution that holds customers’ securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business and holds the debt security on behalf of the non-U.S. holder certifies to the applicable withholding agent under penalties of perjury that it, or the financial institution between it and the non-U.S. holder, has received from the non-U.S. holder a statement under penalties of perjury that such holder is not a United States person and provides the applicable withholding agent with a copy of such statement; or (3) the non-U.S. holder holds its debt security directly through a “qualified intermediary” (within the meaning of the applicable Treasury Regulations) and certain conditions are satisfied.

 

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If a non-U.S. holder does not satisfy the requirements above, such non-U.S. holder will be subject to withholding tax of 30%, subject to a reduction in or an exemption from withholding on such interest as a result of an applicable tax treaty. To claim such entitlement, the non-U.S. holder must provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation) claiming a reduction in or exemption from withholding tax under the benefit of an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established.

If interest paid to a non-U.S. holder is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such interest is attributable), the non-U.S. holder will be exempt from the U.S. federal withholding tax described above. To claim the exemption, the non-U.S. holder must furnish to the applicable withholding agent a valid IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that interest paid on a debt security is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States.

Any such effectively connected interest generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular graduated rates. A non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected interest, as adjusted for certain items.

The certifications described above must be provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of interest and must be updated periodically. Non-U.S. holders that do not timely provide the applicable withholding agent with the required certification, but that qualify for a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaty.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition. A non-U.S. holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other taxable disposition of a debt security (such amount excludes any amount allocable to accrued and unpaid interest, which generally will be treated as interest and may be subject to the rules discussed above in “—Taxation of Holders of Our Debt Securities—Non-U.S. Holders—Payments of Interest”) unless:

 

•

the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable); or

 

•

the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met.

Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular graduated rates. A non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.

Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the non-U.S. holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

 

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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

U.S. Holders. A U.S. holder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding when such holder receives payments on our capital stock or debt securities or proceeds from the sale or other taxable disposition of such stock or debt securities (including a redemption or retirement of a debt security). Certain U.S. holders are exempt from backup withholding, including corporations and certain tax-exempt organizations. A U.S. holder will be subject to backup withholding if such holder is not otherwise exempt and such holder:

 

•

fails to furnish the holder’s taxpayer identification number, which for an individual is ordinarily his or her social security number;

 

•

furnishes an incorrect taxpayer identification number;

 

•

is notified by the IRS that the holder previously failed to properly report payments of interest or dividends; or

 

•

fails to certify under penalties of perjury that the holder has furnished a correct taxpayer identification number and that the IRS has not notified the holder that the holder is subject to backup withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption.

Non-U.S. Holders. Payments of dividends on our capital stock or interest on our debt securities generally will not be subject to backup withholding, provided the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know the holder is a United States person and the holder either certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption. However, information returns are required to be filed with the IRS in connection with any dividends on our capital stock or interest on our debt securities paid to the non-U.S. holder, regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. In addition, proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of such stock or debt securities (including a retirement or redemption of a debt security) within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related brokers generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting, if the applicable withholding agent receives the certification described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a U.S. person, or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Proceeds of a disposition of such stock or debt securities conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.

Copies of information returns that are filed with the IRS may also be made available under the provisions of an applicable treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Medicare Contribution Tax on Unearned Income

Certain U.S. holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are required to pay an additional 3.8% tax on, among other things, dividends on stock, interest on debt obligations, and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or debt obligations. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of these rules on their ownership and disposition of our capital stock or debt securities.

Additional Withholding Tax on Payments Made to Foreign Accounts

Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such sections commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA) on certain types of payments made to

 

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non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends on our capital stock, interest on our debt securities, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our capital stock or debt securities, in each case paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code), unless (1) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (2) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (3) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (1) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury under which it undertakes, among other things, to identify accounts held by certain “specified United States persons” or “United States-owned foreign entities” (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.

Under the applicable Treasury Regulations, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our capital stock or interest on our debt securities, and will apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of such stock or debt securities on or after January 1, 2017.

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our capital stock or debt securities.

Other Tax Consequences

State, local and non-U.S. income tax laws may differ substantially from the corresponding federal income tax laws, and this discussion does not purport to describe any aspect of the tax laws of any state, local or non-U.S. jurisdiction, or any federal tax other than the income tax. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the effect of state, local and non-U.S. tax laws with respect to our tax treatment as a REIT and on an investment in our capital stock or debt securities.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the offered securities from time to time:

 

•

through underwriters or dealers;

 

•

through agents;

 

•

directly to one or more purchasers; or

 

•

through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any underwriters, dealers, agents or direct purchasers and their compensation in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Latham & Watkins LLP and Miles & Stockbridge P.C. will pass upon certain legal matters relating to the issuance and sale of the securities offered hereby on behalf of Corrections Corporation of America and the subsidiary guarantors. Bass, Berry & Sims PLC will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with Tennessee law. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for us or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Corrections Corporation of America appearing in Corrections Corporation of America’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 including the schedule appearing therein, and the effectiveness of Corrections Corporation of America’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are, and audited consolidated financial statements to be included in subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the respective dates (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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$250,000,000

4.75% Senior Notes due 2027

 

 

PROSPECTUS    SUPPLEMENT

 

October 11, 2017

Joint Book Running Managers

 

BofA Merrill Lynch		J.P. Morgan		SunTrust Robinson Humphrey

PNC Capital Markets LLC		Regions Securities LLC

Co-Managers

 

Citizens Capital Markets		FTN Financial Securities Corp