Kline Hotel Partners v. Aircoa Equity Interests, Inc.

725 F. Supp. 479, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13926, 1989 WL 141392
District Court, D. Colorado·Decided November 20, 1989·No. Civ. A. No. 87-B-1903·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

BABCOCK, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on defendants' motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s (Kline) securities acts claims. The motion is denied.

The present controversy arises out of a dispute concerning the construction and operation of the Clarion Ontario Airport Hotel (Hotel) in Ontario, California. The Kline Center Ontario Hotel Partnership (the Partnership), not a party to this action, owns and operates the hotel. Kline and defendant Clarion One, Ltd. (Clarion I) are the general partners of the Partnership under the Kline Center Ontario Hotel Partnership Agreement (Partnership Agreement). Kline and Clarion I each own 50% of the Partnership. Clarion I is also the managing partner under the Partnership Agreement. Defendant AIRCOA Equity Interests, Inc. (AEI) was Clarion I’s predecessor in interest under the Partnership Agreement. Defendant AIRCOA Hospitality Services, Inc. (AIRCOA), f/k/a Associated Inns and Restaurants Company of America, is the managing agent of the Hotel pursuant to a management agreement between AIRCOA and the Partnership. In this action, Kline asserts numerous claims against the defendants, including claims 10 and 11 brought against AEI and AIRCOA based on Colorado and federal securities acts.

Defendants claim that because Kline was an active participant in the construction and management of the Hotel, Kline’s general partnership interest is not a security under the Colorado Securities Act of 1981 (Colo.Rev.Stat. § 11-51-102(g)(12)), the federal Securities Act of 1933 § 2(1) (15 U.S.C. § 77b(1)), or the federal Securities Act of [481]*4811934 § 8(a)(10) (15 U.S.C. § 78c(a)(10)). Defendants contend that summary judgment is thus appropriate for these claims.

I. Summary Judgment

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 provides that summary judgment shall be granted if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, or affidavits show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Summary judgment is appropriate when the Court can conclude that no reasonable juror could find for the non-moving party, on the basis of the evidence presented in the motion and response. Matsushita, 475 U.S. 574, 106 S.Ct. 1348. The non-moving party must present enough evidence that a reasonable juror could find for him. The standard is whether the non-movant has presented evidence persuasive enough for a reasonable juror to rule in his favor. Id. Further, the non-moving party has the burden of showing that there are issues of material fact to be determined. Celotex, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548.

Only disputes over facts that might affect the outcome of the case will properly preclude the entry of summary judgment. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). To avoid summary judgment, the non-moving party must make a sufficient showing of the essential elements of its case on which it bears the burden of proof. Celotex, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548. In order to dispute facts demonstrated by the moving party’s evidence, the non-movant must also offer evidence and may not rely on mere allegations. R-G Denver, Ltd. v. First City Holdings, 789 F.2d 1469 (10th Cir.1986).

II. General Partnership as a Security

In S.E.C. v. W.J. Howey Co., 328 U.S. 293, 298-99, 66 S.Ct. 1100, 1102-03, 90 L.Ed. 1244 (1946), the Supreme Court identified the elements that comprise a security. The Howey -test has three prongs: (1) investment of money, (2) in a common enterprise, (3) on a reasonable expectation of profits to be derived from the entrepreneurial or managerial efforts of others. United Housing Found., Inc. v. Forman, 421 U.S. 837, 852, 95 S.Ct. 2051, 2060, 44 L.Ed.2d 621 (1975). The Howey-test was adopted by Colorado in Lowery v. Ford Hill Inv. Co., 192 Colo. 125, 556 P.2d 1201, 1204-05 (1976). Analysis of the third prong is crucial here.

The Tenth Circuit interpreted the third prong as necessitating inquiry into “ ‘whether the efforts made by those other than the investor are the undeniably significant ones, those essential managerial efforts which affect the failure or success of the enterprise.’ ” McCown v. Heidler, 527 F.2d 204, 211 (10th Cir.1975) (quoting S.E.C. v. Glenn W. Turner Enterprises, Inc., 474 F.2d 476, 482 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 821, 94 S.Ct. 117, 38 L.Ed.2d 53 (1973)). The Tenth Circuit has joined other circuits in focusing on access to information as well as managerial authority. Maritan v. Birmingham Properties, 875 F.2d 1451, 1457-58 (10th Cir.1989).

A. The Presumption

Because general partners typically have the rights and powers necessary to manage their enterprises, it is the third prong in the Howey-test that often prevents general partners from successfully claiming that their partnership interests are securities and from invoking the securities acts. Power Petroleums, Inc. v. P. & G Mining Co., 682 F.Supp. 492, 493 (D.Colo.1988); Rivanna Trawlers Unlimited v. Thompson Trawlers, 840 F.2d 236 (4th Cir.1988) (Powell, J.). An investor in a general partnership who voluntarily refrains from exercising control over the partnership “should be on notice ... that the federal securities acts will not protect him from a mere failure to exercise his rights.” Williamson v. Tucker, 645 F.2d 404, 422 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 454 U.S.

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Kline Hotel Partners v. Aircoa Equity Interests, Inc., 725 F. Supp. 479, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13926, 1989 WL 141392 (D. Colo. 1989).

725 F. Supp. 479 (Kline Hotel Partners v. Aircoa Equity Interests, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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