Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
On May 22, 2020, a syndicate of three banks — the New York Branch of the Bank of China (BOC), the New York Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC), and administrative agent JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. — entered into a syndicated $950,000,000 USD taxable credit and term loan facility agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) — a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area owned by the State of New York — for operational and capital purposes. This line of credit loan carried a maturity period of two years and a final maturity date of May 22, 2022, with borrowings available as term loans. The loan carried a variable interest rate dependent on the specifics of each borrowings, being either LIBOR plus a margin, SOFR plus a margin, or a base rate based on a prime rate, the New York Federal Reserve Bank rate plus half of 1% and an applicable margin. The proceeds of this unsecured non-revolving credit line were to be used by the borrower for operational or capital purposes amidst the financial strain brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health measures taken to contain it. ICBC contributed $250 million USD and its commitment was reportedly based its recognition of the negative impacts of COVID-19 and the importance of MTA for the regional economy. Record ID#105476 captures BOC's contribution. Record ID#105477 captures ICBC's contribution. At the time of the loan, MTA had over $40 billion USD outstanding of municipal bonds and then borrowed an additional $1.625 billion USD prior to the $950 million USD loan, and then won approval to borrow from the Federal Reserve's emergency liquidity facility. MTA is legally barred from filing for bankruptcy by New York state law, though according to analysts, if it could, such a move would be the table. Called "the most acute financial crisis in the history of the MTA" by its CEO, there was expectation that the federal, state, and city governments would help MTA, as it was too crucial to the area's economy, though layoffs and furloughs on the part of MTA were seen as likely. On May 21, 2021, the borrower terminated the credit agreement.
Staff comments
1. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City through Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. The MTA network comprises the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined. The MTA's operating agencies are MTA New York City Transit, MTA Bus, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels. 2. The loan agreement can be accessed in its entirety via https://www.dropbox.com/s/1xzvsz9kmylrx3i/May%202020%20Loan%20Agreement%20betwen%20Metropolitan%20Transportation%20Authority%20and%20BoC%2C%20ICBC%20and%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank.pdf?dl=0