The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion, Dated January 15, 2021
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$150,000,000
Gaming & Hospitality Acquisition Corp.
15,000,000 Units
Gaming & Hospitality Acquisition Corp. is a newly organized blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. While our efforts to identify a prospective business combination target will not be limited to a particular geographic region, we intend to focus on a target business in the gaming and hospitality sectors. Concurrently with our initial business combination, we currently plan to merge with Affinity Gaming, a diversified casino gaming company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of our sponsor, Affinity Gaming Holdings, L.L.C. We will not, however, complete an initial business combination with only Affinity Gaming.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit has an offering price of $10.00 and consists of one share of our Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. Only whole warrants are exercisable. The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination or 12 months from the closing of this offering, and will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation, as described in this prospectus. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. We have granted the underwriter a 45-day option from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to an additional 2,250,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any. We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then outstanding shares of Class A common stock that were sold as part of the units in this offering, which we refer to collectively as our public shares throughout this prospectus, subject to the limitations described herein. If we are unable to complete our business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem 100% of the public shares at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of the then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein.
Our sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 677,500 private units at a price of $10.00 per unit (722,500 private units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full), for an aggregate purchase price of $6,775,000 (or $7,225,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full). Each private unit will be identical to the units sold in this offering, except as described in this prospectus. The private units will be sold in a private placement that will close simultaneously with the closing of this offering. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the private units will be placed in the trust account described below.
Our initial stockholders, which include our sponsor, own an aggregate of 4,312,500 shares of our Class B common stock (up to 562,500 shares of which are subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised), which will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination, or earlier at the option of the holder, as described herein. Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of shares of our Class B common stock will be entitled to vote on the election of directors.
Currently, there is no public market for our units, Class A common stock or warrants. We intend to apply to list our units on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “GHACU.” We expect that our units will be listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. We expect the Class A common stock and warrants comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 52nd day following the date of this prospectus (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day) unless Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (“Deutsche Bank”) informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our satisfaction of certain conditions. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “GHAC” and “GHACW,” respectively.
We are an “emerging growth company” under applicable federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 42 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Investors will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
| | | | | | | | |
| | Per Unit | | | Total | |
Public offering price | | $ | 10.00 | | | $ | 150,000,000 | |
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) | | $ | 0.55 | | | $ | 8,250,000 | |
Proceeds, before expenses, to Gaming & Hospitality Acquisition Corp. | | $ | 9.45 | | | $ | 141,750,000 | |
(1) | Includes $0.35 per unit, or $5,250,000 (or up to $6,037,500, if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) in the aggregate payable to the underwriter for deferred underwriting commissions to be deposited into a segregated trust account located in the United States as described herein. The deferred commissions will be released to the underwriter only on completion of an initial business combination, as described in this prospectus. Does not include certain fees and expenses payable to the underwriter in connection with this offering. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Underwriting” beginning on page 184 for a description of underwriting compensation payable to the underwriter. |
Of the proceeds we receive from this offering and the sale of the private units described in this prospectus, $150 million or $172.5 million if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full ($10.00 per unit in either case) will be deposited into a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and $1.85 million will be available to pay fees and expenses in connection with the closing of this offering and for working capital following the closing of this offering. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our franchise and income tax obligations, the proceeds from this offering and the sale of the private units will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of (a) the completion of our initial business combination, (b) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering or (ii) with respect to any other provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (c) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of our public stockholders.
The underwriter is offering the units for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriter expects to deliver the units to the purchasers on or about , 2021.
Sole Book-Running Manager
Deutsche Bank Securities
, 2021