Creative Loafing equity auction is underway!
August 25, 2009 at 10:37 am by Mara Shalhoup in Inside CL
UPDATE: We have a winner.
In case you haven’t heard, today is equity auction day!
Creative Loafing reporter extraordinaire Thomas Wheatley is in sunny Tampa to cover what might be the final chapter in Creative Loafing Inc.’s yearlong bankruptcy saga. Wheatley’s first update is posted a little further down — hold on! — and he will continue to offer dispatches throughout the day.
First, to bring you up to speed: The auction pits current CLI CEO Ben Eason, whose family founded Creative Loafing 37 years ago, against Eason’s biggest creditor, Atalaya Capital Management, from whom Eason borrowed $30 million to buy the Chicago Reader and Washington City Paper in 2007. Eason has said the burden of the loan forced him to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year.
If Eason prevails, he will have to pay Atalaya back at least $12 million (on top of any amount exceeding a bid of $2.5 million or higher). The remainder of the $18 million owed Atalaya — if there is any — will be written off.
Wheatley reports that Eason’s opening bid is $2.3 million, including $825,000 cash and the remainder in “in-kind contributions.” Yesterday, Atalaya filed a motion contesting the contributions, but the judge ruled this morning that they were admissible. Atalaya then reserved the right to challenge them later today.
Following Eason’s opening bid, Wheatley reports, Atalaya upped the ante: $5 million cash, on top of including the $2 million cash and $1 million line of credit it already promised in its own opening bid.
Eason’s attorney then asked for a brief break.
Now, for a little more background:
If Atalaya wins, the New York hedge fund will create a board manned by some impressive names in national journalism, including ex-L.A. Times editor Jim O’Shea, the Reader reports. O’Shea was fired from the Times after he resisted the publisher’s demands to cut the editorial staff. By bringing him on, Atalaya could be adding substance to its promise to reinvest in CLI’s six papers, which compose the nation’s second-largest altweekly chain.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
August 25th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I borrowed $2 from neighborhood paperboy in order to make my bid. I hope he doesn’t want it back any time soon.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Tony DiSalvo is sweating bullets wondering if his sinecure is safe.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:32 am
If Atalaya wins, I hope they immediately try to get Ken and Andisheh back on board. CL was much better when those two were a major part of CL. If those two would consider it.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
My sentiments exactly, Dale. And give Cliff his headcase column back.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
While they’re bringing people back from the CL olden days, the new owners should lure Robert Morris away from the Ports Authority.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Eason should put Scott Henry and Thomas Wheatley up as part of his collateral. That would increase the value of his bid by a couple million.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I think some red wigs would be in order to celebrate, should Atalaya win and re-invest.
August 25th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Meet your new boss: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampas-creative-loafing-chain-taken-over-by-hedge-fund-atalaya/1030750
August 25th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
So long Tony, we hardly knew ye.
August 25th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Eason has the Ex-lax touch… everything he touches turns to $H!+
No one is surprised at this outcome and most likely it will be better for the people who actually WORK for the paper. Hopefully Atalaya gives Ben, Angela, Tony, and a few others the boot ASAP. Ben had nothing but dead weight running the show over there and this proves it!
Hopefully Atalaya removes some of the dead weight at the individual offices as well.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Dead Lancelot – yeah, I love cliff’s “Head Case” column. We almost never agree, but the man can write, especially when he writes about lost friends and family relationships. His food blogging is good, too.