What section of the Embassy Suites Franchise Agreement outlines the details of Change of Ownership Transfers?
Embassy_Suites Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
12.2.2 Change of Ownership Transfer. A Change of Ownership Transfer is any Transfer that will result in a change of Control of you, the Hotel or the Hotel Site, or is not otherwise described in Subsection 12.2.1. We will have sixty (60) days from our receipt of the completed and signed franchise application to consent or withhold our consent to any proposed Change of Ownership Transfer. Our consent will not be unreasonably withheld. You consent to our communication with any third party we deem necessary about the Hotel in order for us to evaluate the proposed Change of Ownership Transfer. Our consent to the Change of Ownership Transfer is subject to the following conditions, all of which must be satisfied at or before the date of closing the Change of Ownership Transfer ("Closing"):
12.2.2.1 Transferee submits a completed and signed Change of Ownership Application, pays our then-current franchise application fee, executes our then-current form of franchise agreement, and all required ancillary documents. If all conditions to our consent are fulfilled, the date of Closing will be the termination date of this Agreement, and the effective date of Transferee's franchise agreement;
12.2.2.2 you are not in default of this Agreement or any other agreements with
us or our Affiliates;
12.2.2.3 you or Transferee pay to us, on or before the date of Closing, the PIP Fee, and all amounts due to us and our Affiliates through the date of the Closing. We will estimate the amounts due to us through the date of Closing, which you and the Transferee may agree to escrow, to be disbursed to us at Closing to fulfill this obligation. You must agree to escrow the estimated amounts due to us if we agree to execute any documents pursuant to Standard Operating Procedure 50 10 5(I) (or any equivalent or successor) of the United States Small Business Administration in connection with a Closing. If our estimate of the amounts due to us exceeds the amount actually owed to us, we will refund the difference to you, generally within thirty (30) days after the date of Closing;
12.2.2.4 you conclude to our satisfaction, or provide adequate security for, any suit, action, or proceeding pending or threatened against you, us or any of our Affiliates with respect to the Hotel, which may result in liability on the part of us or any of our Affiliates;
12.2.2.5 you, Transferee and/or Equity Owner(s) of Transferee, submit to us all information related to the Transfer that we require;
12.2.2.6 Transferee meets our then-current business requirements for new
franchisees; and
12.2.2.7 Transferee agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend us and our Affiliates against any inquiry, investigation, suit, action, or proceeding arising out of or in connection with any fees or costs charged to patrons or guests by you.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 97)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Embassy Suites's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the details regarding Change of Ownership Transfers are outlined in Subsection 12.2.2 of Item 22, which covers contracts within the Franchise Agreement. A Change of Ownership Transfer, as defined in Subsection 12.2.2, involves any transfer that results in a change of control of the franchisee, the hotel, or the hotel site, and isn't described elsewhere in Subsection 12.2.1.
Embassy Suites has 60 days to either approve or deny a proposed Change of Ownership Transfer after receiving a completed and signed franchise application. However, Embassy Suites assures that their consent will not be unreasonably withheld. As part of the evaluation process, Embassy Suites is permitted to communicate with any third party they deem necessary to assess the proposed transfer.
For a Change of Ownership Transfer to proceed, several conditions must be met by the closing date. These conditions include the transferee submitting a Change of Ownership Application, paying the current franchise application fee, and executing the current form of the franchise agreement along with all required ancillary documents. Additionally, the franchisee must not be in default of the agreement, and all outstanding amounts due to Embassy Suites and its affiliates must be paid. The transferee must also meet Embassy Suites's current business requirements for new franchisees and agree to indemnify Embassy Suites and its affiliates against any claims arising from fees or costs charged to patrons or guests by the franchisee.