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<TITLE>Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance</TITLE>
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<P style="font-size: 14pt" align="center"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>
<FONT style="font-size: 12pt">Washington, D.C. 20549
</FONT></B>

<P style="font-size: 18pt" align="center"><B>FORM 8-K</B>

<P style="font-size: 12pt" align="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT<BR>
Pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): December 31, 2008</B>



<P style="font-size: 24pt" align="center"><B>Morgans Hotel Group
Co.<BR>
</B><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter) </FONT>
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center" cellspacing="0"
cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">

 <TR>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="33%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>001-33738</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>16-1736884</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Commission File Number)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(IRS Employer Identification No.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>
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cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">

 <TR>
  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>475 Tenth Avenue<BR>
New
York, NY<BR>
</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>10018</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Zip Code)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number,
including area code: <B>(212) 277-4100</B>
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cellpadding="0" width="30%" border="0">

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  <TD width="100%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap><B>Not
applicable<BR>
</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD nowrap>(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions:

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<BR>



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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><B>Item&nbsp;8.01. Other Events.</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><I>Amendments to Employment
Agreements</I>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">As of
December&nbsp;31, 2008, Morgans Hotel Group Co. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;)
entered into amendments to employment agreements with Fred J. Kleisner, the
Company&#8217;s President and Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Szymanski, the
Company&#8217;s Chief Financial Officer (collectively, the
&#8220;Amendments&#8221;).&nbsp;&nbsp;The principal reason for the Amendments
is to ensure compliance with the requirements of section 409A of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (&#8220;Section&nbsp;409A&#8221;), including
the final regulations issued by the Internal Revenue
Service.&nbsp;&nbsp;Section&nbsp;409A governs the deferral under nonqualified
compensation plans of compensation that is earned by a director, officer, or
employee in one year but payable in a future year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Section&nbsp;409A
imposes new requirements having to do with deferral elections, payment events,
and payment elections.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 3%" align="left">None of the changes
affect the amount of benefits to which the employee was entitled under his
existing employment agreement.&nbsp;

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 3%" align="left">Copies of the
Amendments are attached hereto as Exhibits&nbsp;10.1 and 10.2 and are
incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Amendments
does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference
to the full text of the Amendments.

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><B>Item&nbsp;9.01. Financial Statements
and Exhibits.</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">(d)&nbsp;Exhibits.
<DIV align="center">
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border="0">
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  <TD width="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="3%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="89%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
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 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV
style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px"><B>Exhibit&nbsp;Number</B>&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="CENTER"><B>Description</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR style="font-size: 1px">
  <TD style="border-top: #000000 1px solid" valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-top: #000000 1px solid" valign="top"
align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">10.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Employment Agreement
for Fred J. Kleisner</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">10.2 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Employment Agreement
for Richard Szymanski</TD>
 </TR>
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">2
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>SIGNATURES </B>&nbsp;

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 45%" align="left">MORGANS HOTEL GROUP
CO.

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Date: January&nbsp;7, 2009

<P style="margin-top: -11pt; font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 45%"
align="left">By: <U>/s/ Richard
Szymanski&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><BR>Richard Szymanski<BR>
Chief Financial Officer

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">3
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>EXHIBIT INDEX</B>
<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"
border="0">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->

 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD width="8%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="3%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="89%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->

 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV
style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px"><B>Exhibit&nbsp;Number</B>&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="CENTER"><B>Description</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR style="font-size: 1px">
  <TD style="border-top: #000000 1px solid" valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-top: #000000 1px solid" valign="top"
align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">10.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Employment Agreement
for Fred J. Kleisner</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">10.2 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Employment Agreement
for Richard Szymanski</TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->

</TABLE>
</DIV>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">4
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</HTML>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "Morgans Hotel Group Co.", "cik": "0001342126", "assigned-sic": "7011", "irs-number": "161736884", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-33738", "film-number": "09512432"}, "business-address": {"street1": "475 TENTH AVENUE", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10018", "phone": "212-277-4100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "475 TENTH AVENUE", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10018"}}
Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): December 31, 2008
Morgans Hotel Group
Co.
(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter)
Delaware
001-33738
16-1736884
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
475 Tenth Avenue
New
York, NY
10018
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number,
including area code:
(212) 277-4100
Not
applicable
(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 8.01. Other Events.
Amendments to Employment
Agreements
As of
December 31, 2008, Morgans Hotel Group Co. (the "Company")
entered into amendments to employment agreements with Fred J. Kleisner, the
Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Szymanski, the
Company's Chief Financial Officer (collectively, the
"Amendments").  The principal reason for the Amendments
is to ensure compliance with the requirements of section 409A of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Section 409A"), including
the final regulations issued by the Internal Revenue
Service.  Section 409A governs the deferral under nonqualified
compensation plans of compensation that is earned by a director, officer, or
employee in one year but payable in a future year.  Section 409A
imposes new requirements having to do with deferral elections, payment events,
and payment elections.
None of the changes
affect the amount of benefits to which the employee was entitled under his
existing employment agreement.
Copies of the
Amendments are attached hereto as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2 and are
incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Amendments
does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference
to the full text of the Amendments.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements
and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit Number
Description
10.1
Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement
for Fred J. Kleisner
10.2
Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement
for Richard Szymanski
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
MORGANS HOTEL GROUP
CO.
Date: January 7, 2009
By:
/s/ Richard
Szymanski
Richard Szymanski
Chief Financial Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number
Description
10.1
Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement
for Fred J. Kleisner
10.2
Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement
for Richard Szymanski