Sidley is representing longstanding client Eldridge as lead provider of US$1.7 billion of equity and debt financing to Metropolis Technologies, Inc. for Metropolis’s take-private acquisition of SP+ Corporation (Nasdaq:SP). The signing of the definitive merger agreement between Metropolis and SP+ was announced on October 5. The enterprise value implied by the acquisition is approximately US$1.5 billion. Metropolis has obtained commitments from Eldridge and other institutions for US$1.05 billion in Series C preferred stock financing and US$650 million of debt financing.
Eldridge, which was co-founded by Todd Boehly, Tony Minella, and Duncan Bagshaw, invests in businesses across the Insurance, Asset Management, Technology, Mobility, Sports & Gaming, Media & Music, Real Estate, and Consumer landscapes. Metropolis is a technology company whose computer vision platform enables checkout-free payment experiences. SP+ is a technology and operations management provider of mobility services for aviation, commercial, hospitality, and institutional clients throughout North America and Europe.
The Sidley team is being led by Myles C. Pollin (Global Finance), along with partners Giselle M. Barth and Ram Burshtine (Global Finance), John Butler, Bill Howell, and Geoffrey W. Levin (M&A and Private Equity), and Christian Brause (Tax). The team also includes Rachel Fridhandler, Hannah L. Marshall, Amanda M. Patterson, and Adrienn T. Portnoy (M&A and Private Equity); Frederick Pai, Rachel C. Schatz, and Shneur Wolvovsky (Global Finance); Tyler J. Combest, Eric M. Grosshandler, and Joel Lifshitz (Tax); Laura Collins and Jamie Sadler (Antitrust/Competition); Marian Fielding, Robert P. Hardy, and Eric Winwood (Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation); James Mendenhall (Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy); Dusan Clark, Lauren G. Grau, and Dina M. P. Kang (Technology and Life Sciences Transactions); Stephen McInerney (Privacy and Cybersecurity); and Beatriz Azcuy and Connor T. Evans (Real Estate).
The General Counsel of Eldridge is Duncan Bagshaw. The principal internal Eldridge group lawyers involved in the transaction were Adam Fassnacht, Peter Saba, and Robyn Saad.