Higher Education Finance Quarterly

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a $13.9 million construction loan and $21.4 million in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) financing for the construction and rehabilitation of Miami Inspiration Housing in Miami, Arizona. The project also received $500,000 of soft debt financing from the Arizona Department of Housing. This development marks a significant milestone in the community as it is the first affordable housing project to be built in the market since 2009.

Miami Inspiration Housing will consist of the renovation of a non-occupied historical building with 16 units and the new construction of a second building with 24 units, creating a 40-unit total affordable housing complex. The property will provide quality housing for families, with income levels between 40%, 50%, and 60% of the AMI. Miami Inspiration Housing will provide families a safe and vibrant place to call home, positively impacting the community at large.

The development is located in Miami, a rural town approximately 80 miles east of Phoenix. The community is located within the Copper Corridor where mining and ranching still represent 20% of the county’s primary sources of employment, as several smaller copper mines and processing facilities remain active.

Miami Inspiration Housing is located near major local employers including Freeport McMoRan Mining, Capstone Mining, Globe and Miami Unified School Districts, Gila Community College, Cecil Trucking, and Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center. The property also sits just two blocks north of Highway 60, Miami’s main thoroughfare, and benefits from proximity to retail, healthcare, recreation, and other amenities.

The real estate developer, Chicanos Por La Causa (“CPLC”), is a community developer with a 56-year history of empowering lives through more than 30 different programs and services in Arizona and most recently in California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. Miami Inspiration is part of a larger strategy to bring diverse housing opportunities in rural and urban communities to meet local needs including wraparound education and social and workforce development services. Gorman Property Management, an affiliate of Gorman & Company (“Gorman”), will serve as the management company. Today, Gorman manages more than 60 apartment communities, totaling over 6,000 units. 

Together with the KeyBank Beach Point Direct Lending Program, KeyBanc Capital Markets and Cain Brothers, a division of KeyBanc Capital Markets, successfully closed on Senior Secured Credit Facilities supporting SK Capital’s acquisition of Spectrum Vascular.

SK Capital’s investment in Spectrum, a provider of vascular access and medication management products, will enable the Company to accelerate growth initiatives and expand its presence. Through its relationship with the Company and deep understanding of the end market, Cain Brothers was able to provide value-added support to SK Capital in their evaluation and execution of the transaction. The Credit Facilities consisted of a Revolving Credit Facility, a Unitranche Term Loan, and a Delayed Draw Term Loan.  

Spectrum Vascular is an innovative medical device company focused on vascular access and medication management. The Company’s mission is to improve the lives of patients worldwide by providing caregivers with high quality, innovative products with exceptional customer service. Innovation has been a core strategic pillar throughout Spectrum Vascular's history and many of its products have been designed to deliver antimicrobial protection and thrombus reduction. Spectrum Vascular was formed through the acquisition of the vascular access businesses of Cook Medical and AngioDynamics. For more information, please visit www.spectrumvascular.com.

SK Capital is a private investment firm with a disciplined focus on the specialty materials, ingredients, and life sciences sectors. The Firm seeks to build resilient, sustainable, and growing businesses that create substantial long-term value. SK Capital aims to utilize its industry, operating, and investment experience to identify opportunities to transform businesses into higher performing organizations with improved strategic positioning, growth, and profitability, as well as lower operating risk.

Transaction Overview:
On March 28, 2025, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. (KBCM) successfully closed the syndication of $1.025 billion Senior Secured Credit Facilities for Catawba Nation Gaming Authority (CNGA), a tribal instrumentality of the Catawba Indian Nation (Catawba). CNGA owns and operates Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. 

The financing included a $75 million revolver, $415 million delayed Draw Term Loan A and a $535 million Term Loan B. Proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt and fund construction of CNGA’s expansion project at its Two Kings Casino. 

This transaction marks the second syndicated financing for CNGA since 2024. 

About Catawba Indian Nation:
Catawba Indian Nation is comprised of ~4,100 enrolled members and is the only federally recognized tribe in South Carolina. The 700-acre Catawba reservation is located on the banks of the Catawba River. 

About the Expansion Project:
CNGA owns and operates Catawba Two Kings Casino, which is located on tribal land in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. It is the only casino in the Charlotte market, having initially opened in July 2021. The casino currently features over 1,100 slot machines, 14 table games, and two food and beverage outlets. Following the $1 billion expansion project, the offerings will be expanded to include over 4,300 slot machines, 92 table games, and 16 food and beverage outlets.

On March 24, 2025, KeyBanc Capital Markets (KBCM) successfully priced a $43.8 million follow-on offering for Prairie Operating Co. (Prairie or the Company). Total shares allotted in the offering were 9,736,904 at an offering price of $4.50 per share, including the overallotment option. The Company also announced a concurrent registered offering of 148,250 shares of new Series F Convertible Preferred Stock and certain warrants totaling $148.3 million in gross proceeds. Additionally, KBCM joined Prairie’s upsized $1.0 billion senior secured revolving credit facility.

The proceeds of both offerings as well as borrowings under the credit facility will be used to fund a portion of the purchase price for the Company’s $602.75 million acquisition of certain oil and gas assets in the Denver-Julesburg Basin from Bayswater Exploration and Production and its affiliated entities. KBCM served as Joint Bookrunner on the follow-on offering, Capital Markets Advisor on the convertible preferred transaction and Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Bookrunner on the credit facility. The acquisition closed on March 26, 2025.

KeyBanc Capital Markets and Cain Brothers, a division of KeyBanc Capital Markets, successfully priced $1.0 billion of Convertible Senior Notes Due 2030 for Integer Holdings Corporation. 

The offering was upsized from $750 million to $875 million, prior to the exercise of the overallotment option. The Notes will mature in 2030 and bear interest at a rate of 1.875% per annum, with a conversion premium of 27.50%. Both the coupon and the conversion premium priced at the midpoint of the initial talk ranges. Proceeds from the offering will be used to refinance a portion of the company’s outstanding 2028 Convertible Senior Notes, repay borrowings under its revolving credit facility, fund the cost of capped call transactions, and for general corporate purposes.

Integer is one of the largest medical device contract development and manufacturing organizations in the world, serving the cardiac rhythm management, neuromodulation, and cardio and vascular markets. As a strategic partner of choice to medical device companies and OEMs, Integer is committed to enhancing the lives of patients worldwide by providing innovative, high-quality products and solutions. Integer’s brands include Greatbatch Medical^® and Lake Region Medical^®.

On March 17, 2025, KeyBanc Capital Markets (KBCM) successfully closed Senior Secured Credit Facilities of an undisclosed amount in support of Sandbrook Capital’s acquisition of Intellirent. KBCM served as Sole Lead Arranger and Administrative Agent on the transaction.

Intellirent specializes in the global rental of field-ready test equipment for electrical applications, offering tailored selection, preparation, technical support, and logistics to ensure optimal performance and delivery. The company offers a broad range of critical testing equipment for field service technicians to perform maintenance and repair, installation and commissioning, and emergency response on critical electrical infrastructure.

On March 14, 2025, Diversified Energy Company PLC (NYSE & LSE: DEC) (Diversified or the Company) closed on its acquisition of Maverick Natural Resources, LLC (Maverick) for $1.275 billion. Diversified agreed to acquire the assets for ~$207 million of cash, ~21.2 million of Diversified common shares, and assumed ~$700 million of Maverick’s outstanding debt. The transaction enters Diversified into the Permian Basin and Rockies and expands its current operations in Ark-La-Tex and the Western Anadarko. The combined company will have an average daily production of ~1,200 MMcfe/d.

KeyBanc Capital Markets was selected as a Buy-Side Advisor to Diversified because of its deep relationships and extensive experience in Ark-La-Tex, the Permian Basin, the Rockies, and the Western Anadarko.

Diversified is a leading independent energy company focused on natural gas and liquids production, transportation, marketing and well retirement, primarily located within the Appalachian and Central regions of the United States. The Company’s strategy is to acquire existing long-life assets and to make investments in those assets to improve environmental and operational performance under a modern field management philosophy. Diversified’s target assets are characterized by multi-decade production profiles and low decline rates.

Maverick is a private E&P, backed by EIG Global Energy Partners (EIG). Maverick engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas, primarily in Ark-La-Tex, the Permian Basin, and the Western Anadarko. Maverick has additional operations in Florida and the Rockies. At the time of the transaction, Maverick produced ~350 MMcfe/d that was ~55% liquids-weighted.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., EIG is a leading provider of capital to the global energy industry since 1982, with ~$49.8 billion in committed capital in 416 portfolio investments across 44 countries.

On March 14, 2025, KeyBanc Capital Markets served as Administrative Agent, Coordinating Lead Arranger, Sole Bookrunner and Joint Lead Arranger on a $1.5 billion Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility for Diversified Energy Company PLC. Proceeds will be used to fund the acquisition of Maverick Natural Resources, LLC and for general corporate purposes.