Document:

<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit-10.6

                           HARRAH'S ENTERTAINMENT, INC

                                 April 27, 2000

Mr. Richard Mirman
c/o Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
5100 W. Sahara Blvd.
Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV 89146

         Re: Severance Agreement

Dear Rich:

         Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (the "Company") considers it essential to
the best interest of its stockholders to foster the continuous employment of key
management personnel. In this connection, the Board of Directors of the Company
(the "Board") recognizes that, as is the case with many publicly held
corporations, the possibility of a change in control may exist and that such
possibility, and the uncertainty and questions which it may raise among
management, may result in the departure or distraction of management personnel
to the detriment of the Company and its stockholders.

         The Board has determined that appropriate steps should be taken to
reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication of members of the
Company's management, including yourself, to their assigned duties without
distraction in the face of potentially disturbing circumstances arising from the
possibility of a change in control of the Company, although no such change is
now contemplated.

         In order to induce you to remain in the employ of the Company or its
subsidiaries and in consideration of your agreements set forth in Subsection
2(b) hereof, the Company agrees that you shall receive the severance benefits
set forth in this letter agreement ("this Agreement") in the event your
employment with the Company or its subsidiaries terminates subsequent to a
"Change in Control of the Company" (as defined in Section 2 hereof) under the
circumstances described below.

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 2

         1. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall commence on April 27, 2000,
and shall continue in effect through December 31, 2000; provided, however, that
commencing on January 1, 2001 and each January 1 thereafter, the term of this
Agreement shall automatically be extended for one additional year unless, not
later than January 1 of the preceding year, the Company with the approval of the
Board of Directors shall have given you written notice that it does not wish to
extend this Agreement; provided, further, if a Change in Control of the Company
shall have occurred during the original or extended term of this Agreement, this
Agreement shall automatically continue in effect for a period of twenty-four
months beyond the month in which such Change in Control occurred.

         2.  Change in Control.

         (a) No benefit shall be payable to you hereunder unless there shall
have been a Change in Control of the Company, as set forth below. For purposes
of this Agreement, a "Change in Control of the Company" shall be deemed to have
occurred, subject to subparagraph (iv) hereof, if any of the events in
subparagraphs (i), (ii) or (iii) occur:

                  (i) Any "person" (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and
         14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
         Act")), other than an employee benefit plan of the Company, or a
         trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit
         plan of the Company, is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined
         in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 25%
         or more of the Company's then outstanding voting securities carrying
         the right to vote in elections of persons to the Board, regardless of
         comparative voting power of such voting securities, and regardless of
         whether or not the Board shall have approved the acquisition of such
         securities by the acquiring person; or

                  (ii) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals
         who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together
         with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a person
         who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a
         transaction described in clauses (i) or (iii) of this Subsection) whose
         election by the Board or nomination for election by the

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 3

         Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of
         the directors then still in office who either were directors at the
         beginning of the two year period or whose election or nomination for
         election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute
         a majority thereof; or

                  (iii) The holders of securities of the Company entitled to
         vote thereon approve the following:

                           (A) A merger or consolidation of the Company with any
                  other corporation regardless of which entity is the surviving
                  company, other than a merger or consolidation which would
                  result in the voting securities of the Company carrying the
                  right to vote in elections of persons to the Board outstanding
                  immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
                  remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting
                  securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of (a) the
                  Company's then outstanding voting securities carrying the
                  right to vote in elections of persons to the Board, or (b) the
                  voting securities of such surviving entity outstanding
                  immediately after such merger or consolidation, or

                           (B) A plan of complete liquidation of the Company or
                  an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all
                  or substantially all of the Company's assets.

                  (iv) Notwithstanding the definition of a "Change in Control"
         of the Company as set forth in this Section 2(a), the Human Resources
         Committee of the Board (the "Committee") shall have full and final
         authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine
         conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred,
         and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any
         incidental matters relating thereto, with respect to a transaction or
         series of transactions which have resulted or will result in a
         substantial portion of the assets or business of the Company (as
         determined, prior to the transaction or series of transactions, by the
         Committee in its sole discretion which determination as to whether a
         substantial portion is involved shall be final and conclusive) being
         held by a corporation at least 80% of

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 4

         whose voting securities are held, immediately following such
         transaction or series of transactions, by holders of the voting
         securities of the Company (as determined by the Committee in its sole
         discretion prior to such transaction or series of transactions which
         determination as to whether the 80% amount will be satisfied shall be
         final and conclusive). The Committee may exercise any such
         discretionary authority without regard to whether one or more of the
         transactions in such series of transactions would otherwise constitute
         a Change in Control of the Company under the definition set forth in
         this Section 2(a).

         (b) For purposes of this Agreement, a "Potential Change in Control of
the Company" shall be deemed to have occurred if the following occur:

                  (i) The Company enters into a written agreement or letter of
         intent, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a
         Change in Control of the Company;

                  (ii) Any person (including the Company) publicly announces an
         intention to take or to consider taking actions which if consummated
         would constitute a Change in Control of the Company;

                  (iii) Any person (other than an employee benefit plan of the
         Company, or a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an
         employee benefit plan of the Company) who is or becomes the beneficial
         owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
         representing 9.5% or more of the Company's then outstanding voting
         securities carrying the right to vote in elections of persons to the
         Board increases such beneficial ownership of such securities by an
         additional five percentage points or more thereby beneficially owning
         14.5% or more of such securities; or

                  (iv) The Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for
         purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control of the
         Company has occurred.

         You agree that, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
in the event of a Potential Change in Control of the Company, you will remain in
the employ of the Company (or the subsidiary thereof by which you are employed
at the date such Potential Change in Control occurs) until the earliest of (x) a

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 5

date which is six months from the occurrence of such Potential Change in Control
of the Company, (y) the termination by you of your employment by reasons of
Disability or Retirement (at your normal retirement age), as defined in
Subsection 3(a), or (z) the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company.

         (c) Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, "Good Reason" shall
mean, without your express written consent, the occurrence after a Change in
Control of the Company, of any of the following circumstances unless, in the
case of paragraphs (i), (v), (vi), (vii) or (viii), such circumstances are fully
corrected prior to the Date of Termination specified in the Notice of
Termination, as such terms are defined in Subsections 3(e) and 3(d),
respectively, given in respect thereof:

                  (i) The assignment to you of any duties inconsistent with your
         status as an executive officer of the Company (or your status in the
         position held by you immediately prior to the Change in Control) or a
         substantial adverse alteration in the nature or status of your
         responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change
         in Control of the Company;

                  (ii) A reduction by the Company in your annual base salary as
         in effect on the date hereof or as the same may be increased from time
         to time except for an across-the-board salary reduction of a specific
         percentage applied to all individuals at grade levels 26 and above and
         all individuals in similar grade levels of any person in control of the
         Company;

                  (iii) The relocation of the Company's principal executive
         offices where you are working immediately prior to the Change in
         Control of the Company to a location more than 50 miles from the
         location of such offices immediately prior to the Change in Control of
         the Company or the Company's requiring you to be based anywhere other
         than the location of the Company's principal executive offices where
         you were working immediately prior to the Change in Control of the
         Company except for required travel on the Company's business to an
         extent substantially consistent with your business travel obligations
         during the year prior to the Change in Control;

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 6

                  (iv) The failure by the Company, without your consent, to pay
         to you any portion of your current compensation except pursuant to an
         across-the-board compensation deferral of a specific percentage applied
         to all individuals in grade levels 26 or above and all individuals in
         similar grades of any person in control of the Company, or to pay to
         you any portion of an installment of deferred compensation under any
         deferred compensation program of the Company, within thirty days of the
         date such compensation is due;

                  (v) The failure by the Company to continue in effect any
         compensation plan in which you are participating immediately prior to
         the Change in Control of the Company which is material to your total
         compensation, including but not limited to, the Company's Bonus Plan,
         Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, Deferred Compensation Plan,
         Restricted Stock Plan, Stock Option Plan, or any substitute plans
         adopted prior to the Change in Control, unless an equitable arrangement
         (embodied in an ongoing substitute or alternative plan) has been made
         with respect to such plan, or the failure by the Company to continue
         your participation therein (or in such substitute or alternative plan)
         on a basis not materially less favorable, both in terms of the amount
         of benefits provided and the level of your participation relative to
         other participants, as existed immediately prior to the Change in
         Control of the Company;

                  (vi) The failure by the Company to continue to provide you
         with benefits substantially similar to those enjoyed by you under any
         of the Company's pension, savings and retirement plan, life insurance,
         medical, health and accident, or disability plans in which you were
         participating at the time of the Change in Control of the Company, the
         taking of any action by the Company which would directly or indirectly
         materially reduce any of such benefits or deprive you of any material
         fringe benefit enjoyed by you at the time of the Change in Control of
         the Company, or the failure by the Company to provide you with the
         number of paid vacation or PTO days to which you are entitled on the
         basis of years of service with the Company in accordance with the
         Company's normal vacation policy and/or PTO policy in effect at the
         time of the Change in Control of the Company;

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 7

                  (vii) The failure of the Company to obtain a satisfactory
         agreement from any successor to assume and agree to perform this
         Agreement, as contemplated in Section 5 hereof; or

                  (viii) Any purported termination of your employment by the
         Company which is not effected pursuant to a Notice of Termination
         satisfying the requirements of Subsection 3(d) hereof and the
         requirements of Subsection 3(b) below; for purposes of this Agreement,
         no such purported termination shall be effective.

         Your right to terminate your employment pursuant to this Agreement for
Good Reason shall not be affected by your incapacity due to physical or mental
illness. Your continued employment shall not constitute consent to, or a waiver
of rights with respect to, any circumstance constituting Good Reason hereunder.

         3. Termination Following Change in Control (or Prior to a Change in
Control in Specific Circumstances). If any of the events described in Subsection
2(a) hereof constituting a Change in Control of the Company shall have occurred,
then following such Change in Control, you shall be entitled to the benefits
provided in Subsection 4(c) hereof: (1) if your employment was terminated within
six months prior to the Change of Control under the circumstances described in
Section 4.(2) below, or (2) if your employment is terminated during the term of
this Agreement after such Change in Control if such termination is (y) by the
Company, other than for Cause or (z) by you for Good Reason as provided in
Subsection 3(c)(i) hereof or by your Voluntary Termination as provided in
Subsection 3(c)(ii) hereof.

         (a) Disability; Retirement. If, as a result of your incapacity due to
physical or mental illness, you shall have been absent from the full-time
performance of your duties with the Company for six consecutive months, and
within thirty days after written notice of termination is given you shall not
have returned to the full-time performance of your duties, your employment may
be terminated for "Disability". Termination by the Company or you of your
employment based on "Retirement" shall mean termination at age 65 (or later)
with ten years of service or retirement in accordance with any retirement
contract between the Company and you.

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 8

         (b) Cause. Termination by the Company of your employment for "Cause"
shall mean termination upon your engaging in willful and continued misconduct,
or your willful and continued failure to substantially perform your duties with
the Company (other than due to physical or mental illness), if such failure or
misconduct is materially damaging or materially detrimental to the business and
operations of the Company, provided that you shall have received written notice
of such failure or misconduct and shall have continued to engage in such failure
or misconduct after 30 days following receipt of such notice from the Board,
which notice specifically identifies the manner in which the Board believes that
you have engaged in such failure or misconduct. For purposes of this Subsection,
no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be deemed "willful" unless done,
or omitted to be done, by you not in good faith and without your reasonable
belief that your action or omission was in the best interest of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, you shall not be deemed to have been terminated
for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to you a copy of a
resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters
of the entire membership of the Board at a meeting of the Board called and held
for such purpose (after reasonable notice to you and an opportunity for you,
together with your counsel, to be heard before the Board), finding that in the
good faith opinion of the Board you were guilty of failure to substantially
perform your duties or of misconduct in accordance with the first sentence of
this Subsection, and of continuing such failure to substantially perform your
duties or misconduct as aforesaid after notice from the Board, and specifying
the particulars thereof in detail.

         (c) Voluntary Resignation. After a Change in Control of the Company and
for purposes of receiving the benefits provided in Subsection 4(c) hereof, you
shall be entitled to terminate your employment by voluntary resignation given at
any time during the two years following the occurrence of a Change in Control of
the Company hereunder, provided such resignation is (i) by you for Good Reason
or (ii) by you voluntarily without the necessity of asserting or establishing
Good Reason and regardless of your age or any disability and regardless of any
grounds that may exist for the termination of your employment if such voluntary
termination occurs by written notice given by you to the Company during the
thirty days immediately following the one year anniversary of the Change in
Control (your "Voluntary Termination"), provided, however, for purposes of this
Subsection 3(c)(ii) only, the language "25% or more" in Subsection 2(a)(i)

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 9

hereof is changed to "a majority". Such resignation shall not be deemed a breach
of any employment contract between you and the Company.

         (d) Notice of Termination. Any purported termination of your employment
by the Company or by you shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination
to the other party hereto in accordance with Section 6 hereof. For purposes of
this Agreement, a "Notice of Termination" shall mean a notice which shall
indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and
shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of your employment under the provision so
indicated.

         (e) Date of Termination, Etc.  "Date of Termination" shall mean:

                  (i) If your employment is terminated for Disability, thirty
         days after Notice of Termination is given (provided that you shall not
         have returned to the full-time performance of your duties during such
         thirty day period), and

                  (ii) If your employment is terminated pursuant to Subsection
         (b) or (c) above or for any other reason (other than Disability), the
         date specified in the Notice of Termination (which, in the case of a
         termination pursuant to Subsection (b) above shall not be less than
         thirty days, and in the case of a termination pursuant to Subsection
         (c) above shall not be less than fifteen nor more than sixty days
         (thirty days in case of your Voluntary Termination), respectively, from
         the date such Notice of Termination is given);

provided that if within fifteen days after any Notice of Termination is given,
or, if later, prior to the Date of Termination (as determined without regard to
this provision), the party receiving such Notice of Termination notifies the
other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination, the Date of
Termination shall be the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either
by mutual written agreement of the parties, by a binding arbitration award, or
by a final judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction (which
is not appealable or with respect to which the time for appeal therefrom has
expired and no appeal has been perfected); provided further

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 10

that the Date of Termination shall be extended by a notice of dispute only if
such notice is given in good faith and the party giving such notice pursues the
resolution of such dispute with reasonable diligence. Notwithstanding the
pendency of any such dispute, the Company will continue to pay you your full
compensation in effect when the notice giving rise to the dispute was given
(including, but not limited to, base salary) and continue you as a participant
in all compensation, bonus, benefit and insurance plans in which you were
participating when the notice giving rise to the dispute was given, until the
dispute is finally resolved in accordance with this Subsection. Amounts paid
under this Subsection are in addition to all other amounts due under this
Agreement and shall not be offset against or reduce any other amounts due under
this Agreement.

         4. Compensation Upon Termination Following a Change of Control (or if
Termination Occurs Prior to a Change in Control in Specific Circumstances).
Following a Change in Control of the Company as defined in Subsection 2(a),
then: (1) upon termination of your employment after such Change in Control, or
(2) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if termination
of your employment occurred within six months prior to the Change in Control if
such termination was by the Company without Cause by reason of the request of
the person or persons (or their representatives) who subsequently acquire
control of the Company in the Change of Control transaction, you shall be
entitled to the following benefits:

         (a) Deleted.

         (b) If your employment shall be terminated by the Company for Cause,
the Company shall pay you your full base salary through the Date of Termination
at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given, plus the
Company shall pay all other amounts and honor all rights to which you are
entitled under any compensation plan of the Company at the time such payments
are due, and the Company shall have no other obligations to you under this
Agreement.

         (c) If your employment shall be terminated (y) after a Change of
Control, by the Company other than for Cause or (z) after a Change of Control,
by you for Good Reason or by your Voluntary Termination as provided in
Subsection 3(c)(ii), or (yy)

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 11

within six months prior to a Change of Control, by the Company under the
circumstances described in Section 4.(2) above, then you shall be entitled to
the benefits provided below:

                  (i) The Company shall pay you your full base salary through
         the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of
         Termination is given, plus all other amounts to which you are entitled
         under any compensation or benefit plan of the Company, at the time such
         payments are due;

                  (ii) In lieu of any further salary payments to you for periods
         subsequent to the Date of Termination, the Company shall pay as
         severance pay to you a lump sum severance payment (the "Severance
         Payment") equal to 3.0 times the average of the Annual Compensation (as
         defined below) payable to you by the Company or any corporation
         affiliated with the Company within the meaning of Section 1504 of the
         Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Annual
         Compensation is defined to consist of two components: (a) Your annual
         salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control or in
         effect as of the Date of Termination, whichever annual salary is
         higher. Your annual salary for this purpose will be determined without
         any reduction for deferrals of such salary under any deferred
         compensation plan (qualified or unqualified) and without any reduction
         for any salary reductions used for making contributions to any group
         insurance plan of the Company or its affiliates and also without
         reduction for any other deductions from salary for any reason; plus (b)
         The average of your annual bonuses under the Company's Annual
         Management Bonus Plan, or any substitute or successor plan including
         the Key Executive Officer Annual Incentive Plan, for the three highest
         calendar years, in terms of annual bonus paid to you in such years,
         during the five calendar years preceding the calendar year in which the
         Change in Control occurred. Your annual bonuses for this purpose will
         be determined without any reduction for deferrals under any deferred
         compensation plan (qualified or unqualified) and without any reduction
         for salary reductions used for making contributions to any group
         insurance plan of the Company or its affiliates and also without
         reduction for any other deductions from bonus for any reason. If you
         were not employed by the Company or its affiliates for a sufficient
         period of time to receive annual bonuses during each of the five
         calendar years before the Change in Control occurred,

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 12

         then the average bonus will be measured using the three highest
         calendar years, in terms of annual bonus paid to you, in all the
         consecutive calendar years immediately preceding the date the Change in
         Control occurred. If you were not eligible for three years of bonuses
         paid during the calendar years immediately preceding the date the
         Change in Control occurred, then the average bonus will be the average
         of the annual bonuses that were paid to you during such time under such
         Plan. If you were not eligible for any bonus during such time because
         of not being employed by the Company for a sufficient period of time to
         qualify for a previous bonus payment, then Annual Compensation will
         only consist of the salary component as provided above and will not
         include a bonus component.

                  (iii) The Company shall also pay to you a pro rata amount of
         your target bonus (the bonus amount for your grade level assuming 100
         bonus points are earned) as shown on the matrix for the Annual
         Management Bonus Plan (or any substitute or successor plan)
         attributable to the bonus plan year which contains your Date of
         Termination, regardless of whether or not any bonus is determined to be
         actually earned for such year, provided that the target bonus for
         calculating this pro rata payment will not be less than the target
         bonus under such Plan for the Plan year that contains the day
         immediately prior to the Change in Control (which target bonus will be
         the one that applies to your grade level at that time) regardless of
         whether or not any bonus was payable for such year. The pro-rata amount
         will be based on the percentage of days of your employment in the
         calendar year of the Date of Termination. For example, if the Date of
         Termination is October 1 in a year with 365 days, with October 1
         counted as the last day of employment for a total of 274 days of
         employment that year, then the pro-rata amount will be 75.06849% of
         target bonus (274 days DIVIDED BY 365 days). In addition, the Company
         shall pay to you the amounts of any compensation or awards payable to
         you or due to you under any incentive compensation plan of the Company
         including, without limitation, the Company's Restricted Stock Plan,
         Stock Option Plan (the "Option Plan") and Annual Management Bonus Plan
         (or any substitute or successor plan including the Key Executive
         Officer Annual Incentive Plan) and under any agreements with you in
         connection therewith, and shall make any other payments and take any
         other actions and honor such rights you may have accrued under such
         plans

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 13

         and agreements including any rights you may have to payments after the
         Date of Termination, which will include the payment to you of any bonus
         earned during the bonus year fully completed prior to the Date of
         Termination if such Date of Termination occurs prior to the payment
         date for such bonus, it being understood, however, that the pro-rata
         payment provided for in the first sentence of this paragraph 4(c)(iii)
         is in lieu of any bonus earned for the bonus plan year during which
         occurred the Date of Termination.

                  (iv) In lieu of shares of common stock of the Company or any
         securities of a successor company which shall have replaced such common
         stock ("Company Shares") issuable upon exercise of outstanding and
         unexercised options (whether or not they are fully exerciseable or
         "vested"), if any, granted to you under the Option Plan including
         options granted under the plan of any successor company that replaced
         or assumed the options under said Option Plan ("Options") (which
         Options shall be cancelled upon the making of the payment referred to
         below), you shall receive an amount in cash equal to the product of (y)
         the excess of the higher of the closing price of Company Shares as
         reported on the New York Stock Exchange on or nearest the Date of
         Termination (or, if not listed on such exchange, on a nationally
         recognized exchange or quotation system on which trading volume in
         Company Shares is highest) or the highest per share price (including
         cash, securities and any other consideration) for Company Shares
         actually paid in connection with any change in control of the Company,
         over the per share exercise price of each Option held by you (whether
         or not then fully exercisable or "vested"), times (z) the number of
         Company Shares covered by each such option.

                  (v) The Company shall also pay to you all legal fees and
         expenses incurred by you as a result of such termination (including all
         such fees and expenses, if any, incurred in contesting or disputing any
         such termination or in seeking to obtain or enforce any right or
         benefit provided by this Agreement or in connection with any tax audit
         or proceeding to the extent attributable to the application of Section
         4999 of the Code to any payment or benefit provided hereunder).

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 14

                  (vi) In the event that you become entitled to the payments
         (the "Severance Payments") provided under paragraphs (ii), (iii), and
         (iv), above (and Subsections (d) and (e), below), and if any of the
         Severance Payments will be subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax")
         imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, the Company shall pay to you at
         the time specified in paragraph (vii), below, an additional amount (the
         "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by you (such net
         amount to be the amount remaining after deducting any Excise Tax on the
         Severance Payments and any federal, state and local income tax and
         Excise Tax payable on the payment provided for by this paragraph),
         shall be equal to the amount of the Severance Payments after deducting
         normal and ordinary taxes but not deducting (a) the Excise Tax and (b)
         any federal, state and local income tax and Excise tax payable on the
         payment provided for by this paragraph. For example, if the Severance
         Payments are $1,000,000 and if you are subject to the Excise Tax, then
         the Gross-Up Payment will be such that you will retain an amount of
         $1,000,000 less only any normal and ordinary taxes on such amount. (The
         Excise Tax and federal, state and local taxes and any Excise Tax on the
         payment provided by this paragraph will not be deemed normal and
         ordinary taxes). For purposes of determining whether any of the
         Severance Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amount of
         such Excise Tax, the following will apply:

                           (A) Any other payments or benefits received or to be
                  received by you in connection with a Change in Control of the
                  Company or your termination of employment (whether pursuant to
                  the terms of this Agreement or any other plan, arrangement or
                  agreement with the Company, any person whose actions result in
                  a Change in Control of the Company or any person affiliated
                  with the Company or such person) shall be treated as
                  "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2)
                  of the Code, and all "excess parachute payments" within the
                  meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) shall be treated as subject to
                  the Excise Tax, unless in the opinion of tax counsel selected
                  by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to you
                  such other payments or benefits (in whole or in part) do not
                  constitute parachute payments, or such excess parachute
                  payments (in whole or in part) represent reasonable
                  compensation for services actually

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 15

         rendered within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4) of the Code in excess
         of the base amount within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the
         Code, or are otherwise not subject to the Excise Tax;

                           (B) The amount of the Severance Payments which shall
                  be treated as subject to the Excise Tax shall be equal to the
                  lesser of (y) the total amount of the Severance Payments or
                  (z) the amount of excess parachute payments within the meaning
                  of Section 280G(b)(1) (after applying clause (A), above); and

                           (C) The value of any non-cash benefits or any
                  deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the
                  Company's independent auditors in accordance with proposed,
                  temporary or final regulations under Sections 280G(d)(3) and
                  (4) of the Code or, in the absence of such regulations, in
                  accordance with the principles of Section 280G(d)(3) and (4)
                  of the Code.

                  For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up
                  Payment, you shall be deemed to pay Federal income taxes at
                  the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the
                  calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and
                  state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rate of
                  taxation in the state and locality of your residence on the
                  Date of Termination, net of the maximum reduction in Federal
                  income taxes which could be obtained from deduction of such
                  state and local taxes. In the event that the amount of Excise
                  Tax attributable to Severance Payments is subsequently
                  determined to be less than the amount taken into account
                  hereunder at the time of termination of your employment, you
                  shall repay to the Company, at the time that the amount of
                  such reduction in Excise Tax is finally determined, the
                  portion of the Gross-Up Payment attributable to such reduction
                  (plus the portion of the Gross-Up Payment attributable to the
                  Excise Tax and Federal (and state and local) income tax
                  imposed on the Gross-Up Payment being repaid by you if such
                  repayment results in a reduction in Excise Tax and/or a
                  Federal (and state and local) income tax deduction) plus
                  interest on the amount of such repayment at the rate provided
                  in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code. In the event that the
                  Excise Tax

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 16

                  attributable to Severance Payments is determined to exceed the
                  amount taken into account hereunder at the time of the
                  termination of your employment (including by reason of any
                  payment the existence or amount of which cannot be determined
                  at the time of the Gross-Up Payment), the Company shall make
                  an additional gross-up payment to you in respect of such
                  excess (plus any interest payable with respect to such excess)
                  at the time that the amount of such excess is finally
                  determined.

                  (vii) The payments provided for in paragraphs (ii), (iii),
         (iv) and (vi) above, shall be made not later than the fifth day
         following the Date of Termination (or following the date of the Change
         in Control if your employment is terminated under the circumstances
         described in Section 4.(2) above), provided, however, that if the
         amounts of such payments cannot be finally determined on or before such
         day, the Company shall pay to you on such day an estimate, as
         determined in good faith by the Company, of the minimum amount of such
         payments and shall pay the remainder of such payments (together with
         interest at the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code) as
         soon as the amount thereof can be determined but in no event later than
         the thirtieth day after the Date of Termination (or following the date
         of the Change in Control if your employment is terminated under the
         circumstances described in Section 4.(2) above). In the event that the
         amount of the estimated payments exceeds the amount subsequently
         determined to have been due, such excess shall constitute a loan by the
         Company to you payable on the fifth day after demand by the Company
         (together with interest at the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B)
         of the Code).

         (d) If your employment shall be terminated (y) by the Company other
than for Cause, or (z) by you voluntarily for Good Reason or by your Voluntary
Termination, or by the Company within six months prior to a Change in Control
under the circumstances described in Section 4.(2) hereof, then for a
twenty-four month period after such termination, the Company shall arrange to
provide you with life, disability, accident and health insurance benefits
substantially similar to those which you are receiving immediately prior to the
Notice of Termination. Benefits otherwise receivable by you pursuant to this
Subsection 4(d) shall be reduced to the extent comparable benefits are actually

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 17

received by you during the twenty-four month period following your termination,
and any such benefits actually received by you shall be reported to the Company.

         (e) In the event a Change in Control of the Company occurs while you
are employed with the Company or its affiliates but after you and the Company
have executed an agreement that expressly provides for your subsequent
retirement including an agreement that expressly provides for your early
retirement, then the present value, computed using a discount rate of 8% per
annum, of (i) the total amount of all unpaid deferred payments as payable to you
in accordance with the payment schedule that you elected when the deferral was
agreed to and using the plan interest rate applicable to your situation,
including, without limitation, any unpaid deferred payments to be paid to you
under the Company's Executive Deferred Compensation Plan and the Company's other
deferred compensation plans, and (ii) the total amount of all other payments
payable or to become payable to you or your estate or beneficiary under such
retirement agreement (other than payments payable pursuant to a plan qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code) shall be accelerated and paid
to you (or your estate or beneficiary if applicable) in a lump sum cash payment
within five business days after the occurrence of the Change in Control of the
Company. In addition, if you and the Company or its affiliates have executed
such a retirement agreement and if the Change in Control of the Company occurs
before the effective date of your retirement, then you shall receive the
Severance Payment payable under Subsection 4(c)(ii) herein in addition to the
lump sum cash payment of the present value of your total unpaid deferred
payments and other payments under the retirement agreement as aforesaid. All
benefits (other than the payments accelerated and paid out to you in a lump sum
as provided above) to which you or your estate or any beneficiary are entitled
under such retirement agreement shall continue in effect notwithstanding the
Change in Control of the Company. This Subsection 4(e) shall survive your
retirement.

         (f) Notwithstanding that a Change in Control shall not have yet
occurred, if you so elect, by written notice to the Company given at any time
after the date hereof and prior to the time such amounts are otherwise payable
to you:

                  (i) The Company shall deposit with an escrow agent, pursuant
         to an escrow agreement between the Company and such escrow agent, a sum
         of money, or other property permitted by

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 18

         such escrow agreement, which are substantially sufficient in the
         opinion of the Company's management to fund payment of the following
         amounts to you, as such amounts become payable (provided such deposit
         will not be necessary to the extent the escrow already contains funds
         or other assets which are substantially sufficient in the opinion of
         the Company's management to fund such payments) :

                           (A) Amounts payable, or to become payable, to you or
                  to your beneficiaries or your estate under the Company's
                  Executive Deferred Compensation Plan and under any agreements
                  related thereto in existence at the time of your election to
                  make the deposit into escrow.

                           (B) Amounts payable, or to become payable, to you or
                  to your beneficiaries or your estate by reason of your
                  deferral of payments payable to you prior to the date of your
                  election to make the deposit into escrow under any other
                  deferred compensation agreements between you and the Company
                  in existence at the time of your election to make the deposit
                  into escrow, including but not limited to deferred
                  compensation agreements relating to the deferral of salary or
                  bonuses.

                           (C) Amounts payable, or to become payable, to you or
                  to your beneficiaries or your estate under any executed
                  agreement that expressly provides for your retirement from the
                  Company (including payments described under Subsection 4(e)
                  above) which agreement is in existence at the time of your
                  election to make the deposit into escrow, other than amounts
                  payable by a plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code.

                           (D) Subject to the approval of the Committee, amounts
                  then due and payable to you, but not yet paid, under any other
                  benefit plan or incentive compensation plan of the Company
                  (whether such amounts are stock or cash) other than amounts
                  payable to you under a plan qualified under Section 401(a) of
                  the Code.

                  (ii) Within 5 days after the occurrence of a Potential Change
         of Control, the Company shall deposit with an escrow agent (which shall
         be the same escrow agent, if one exists,

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 19

         acting pursuant to clause (i) of this Subsection 4(f)), pursuant to an
         escrow agreement between the Company and such escrow agent, a sum of
         money, or other property permitted by such escrow agreement,
         substantially sufficient in the opinion of Company management to fund
         the payment to you of the amounts specified in Subsection 4(c) of this
         Agreement.

                  (iii) It is intended that any amounts deposited in escrow
         pursuant to the provisions of clause (i) or (ii) of this Subsection
         4(f), shall be subject to the claims of the Company's creditors, as set
         forth in the form of such escrow agreement.

         (g) You shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment
provided for in this Section 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor
shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in this Section 4 be
reduced by any compensation earned by you as the result of employment by another
employer, by retirement benefits, by offset against any amount claimed to be
owed by you to the Company, or otherwise (except as specifically provided in
this Section 4).

         (h) In addition to all other amounts payable to you under this Section
4, you shall be entitled to receive all benefits payable to you under any
benefit plan of the Company in which you participate to the extent such benefits
are not paid under this Agreement.

         5.       Successors; Binding Agreement.

         (a) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect,
by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of
the business and/or assets of the Company to expressly assume and agree to
perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the
Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place.
Failure of the Company to obtain such assumption and agreement prior to the
effectiveness of any such succession shall be a breach of this Agreement and
shall entitle you to compensation from the Company in the same amount and on the
same terms as you would be entitled to hereunder if you terminate your
employment voluntarily for Good Reason following a Change in Control of the
Company, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date on
which any such succession becomes effective shall be deemed the Date of
Termination. As used in this Agreement,

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 20

"Company" shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to
its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this
Agreement by operation of law, or otherwise.

         (b) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by
your personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors,
heirs, distributees, devises and legatees. If you should die while any amount
would still be payable to you hereunder if you had continued to live, all such
amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement to your devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there
is no such designee, to your estate.

         6. Notices. For the purpose of this Agreement, notices and all other
communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by United States
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, by FAX
if available, or by overnight courier service, addressed as follows:

         To the Company:

                           Secretary
                           Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.
                           5100 W. Sahara Avenue
                           Suite 200
                           Las Vegas, Nevada 89146
                           FAX:  702-579-2671

         To you:

                           Addressed to your name at your office address (or FAX
                           number) with the Company or its affiliates (or any
                           successor thereto) at the time the notice is sent and
                           your home address at that time; and if you are not
                           employed by the Company at the time of the notice,
                           your home address as shown on the records of the
                           Company or its affiliates (or any successor thereto)
                           on the date of the notice.

         To such other address as either party may have furnished to the other
         in writing in accordance herewith, except that notice of change of
         address shall be effective only upon receipt.

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 21

         7. Miscellaneous. No provision of this Agreement may be modified,
waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to
in writing and signed by you and such officer as may be specifically designated
by the Board. No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the
other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this
Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of
similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or
subsequent time. No agreement or representations, oral or otherwise, express or
implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either
party which are not expressly set forth in this Agreement. The validity,
interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed
by the laws of the State of Delaware. All references to sections of the Exchange
Act or the Code shall be deemed also to refer to any successor provisions to
such sections. Any payments provided for hereunder shall be paid net of any
applicable withholding required under federal, state or local law. The
obligations of the Company under Section 4 shall survive the expiration of the
term of this Agreement.

         8. Validity. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of
this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

         9. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which
together will constitute one and the same instrument.

         10. Arbitration. Any dispute or controversy arising under or in
connection with this Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in
Las Vegas, Nevada in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration
Association then in effect. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator's award in
any court having jurisdiction; provided, however, that you shall be entitled to
seek specific performance of your right to be paid until the Date of Termination
during the pendency of any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection
with this Agreement.

         11. Similar Provisions in Other Agreement. The Severance Payment under
this Agreement supersedes and replaces any previous

<PAGE>

Richard Mirman
April 27, 2000
page 22

severance agreement and any other severance payment to which you may be entitled
under any previous agreement between you and the Company or its affiliates.

         If this letter sets forth our agreement on the subject matter hereof,
kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copy of this letter which
will then constitute our binding agreement on this subject.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       HARRAH'S ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

                                       By:      /s/ STEPHEN H. BRAMMELL
                                                --------------------------
                                                Stephen H. Brammell
                                                Senior Vice President

Agreed:

/s/ RICHARD MIRMAN
---------------------
Richard Mirman

<PAGE><PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 4.8

                         REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

      This Registration Rights Agreement (the "the Agreement") is made and
entered into as of July 1, 2000, by and between UNIVERSAL ACCESS, INC., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and the parties executing this Agreement
in the space provided on the signature page hereto (each, a "Holder" and
collectively, the "Holders").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

      A. Pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of the date hereof
between the Company and each Holder, each Holder has agreed to sell all the
shares of common stock of Tri-Quad Enterprises, Inc., a Connecticut corporation
("Tri-Quad") held by such Holder ("Tri-Quad Shares") to the Company.

      B. As partial consideration for the sale of the Tri-Quad Shares, the
Company is issuing common stock of the Company $.01 par value per share ("Common
Stock") to each Holder and the Company desires to grant to each Holder
registration rights with respect to the Common Stock.

      NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and
valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:

      1.    (a) Piggyback Registration. If any time during the twelve months
from the date of this Agreement the Company files a registration statement
(other than a registration statement on Form S-4, Form S-8 or on any other form
which does not include substantially the same information as would be required
to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of Registrable
Securities (as hereinafter defined)) with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") while any Registrable Securities are outstanding, the Company
shall give each Holder at least thirty (30) days' prior written notice of the
filing of such registration statement. If requested by a Holder in writing
within twenty (20) days after receipt of any such notice, the Company shall
register all or, at such Holder's option, any portion of such Holder's
Registrable Securities concurrently with the registration of such other
securities, all to the extent requisite to permit the public offering and sale
of the Registrable Securities through the facilities of all appropriate
securities exchanges, if any, on which the Company's Common Stock is being sold
or on the over-the-counter market, and will use its best efforts through its
officers, directors, auditors and counsel to cause such registration statement
to become effective as promptly as practicable.

      As used herein, "Registrable Securities" shall mean (i) the shares of
Common Stock which have not been previously sold pursuant to a registration
statement or Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act") and (ii) any Common Stock issued by way of a stock split,
stock dividend, recapitalization, merger or other distribution with respect to,
the Common Stock, excluding in all cases, however, any Registrable Securities
sold by a person in a transaction in which its rights under this Section 1 are
not assigned.

                                       1
<PAGE>

            (b) Underwriting. If a registration pursuant to Section 1(a) is for
a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the Company shall so
advise the Holders as part of the notice given pursuant hereto. The Company
shall (together with all Holders proposing to distribute their securities
through such underwriting), if requested by the underwriter, enter into an
underwriting agreement in customary form with a managing underwriter selected
for such underwriting by the Company. The underwriting agreement shall also
satisfy the conditions described in Section 1(1) below.

      Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1, if the managing
underwriter advises the Company in writing that market factors require exclusion
of shares to be sold by selling stockholders, or a limitation of the number of
shares to be so sold, then Registrable Securities may be included in the
registration only to the extent it would not reduce the inclusion of the
following:

                  (i) Common Stock acquired upon conversion of Series A
      Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock owned by holders entitled to
      participate in the registration;

                  (ii) Common Stock acquired upon conversion of Series B
      Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Series B Preferred Stock") or
      upon exercise of warrants or options held by the placement agent for the
      Series B Preferred Stock (or its transferees) owned by holders entitled to
      participate in the registration;

                  (iii) Common Stock acquired upon conversion of Series D
      Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock owned by holders entitled to
      participate in the registration; and

                  (iv) Common Stock acquired upon conversion of Series E
      Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock owned by holders entitled to
      participate in the registration.

      If Registrable Securities may be included in the registration pursuant
to the immediately preceding paragraph, and if the managing underwriter advises
the Company in writing that market factors require exclusion of shares to be
sold by selling stockholders, or a limitation of the number of shares to be so
sold, then the Company shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities and
the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in the
registration and underwriting shall be allocated among all Holders thereof
(except for any Holders who have indicated to the Company their decision not to
distribute any of their Registrable Securities through such underwriting) in
proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the respective amounts of Registrable
Securities held by such Holders at the time of filing the registration
statement. No Registrable Securities excluded from the underwriting by reason of
the underwriter market limitation shall be included in such registration.

      If any Holder of Registrable Securities disapproves of the terms of the
underwriting, such person may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to
the Company, the managing underwriter and the other Holders. In such event, the
Registrable Securities and/or other securities held by such Holder affected
shall be withdrawn from registration. However, if such withdrawal is made, the
registration will be deemed to have been completed with respect to the
withdrawing

                                       2
<PAGE>

Holder for purposes of determining whether the Company has satisfied its
registration obligations under this Section 1.

      If the managing underwriter of any underwritten offering pursuant to
Section 1(a) shall advise the Company in writing that, in its opinion, the
distribution of all or a portion of the Registrable Securities requested to be
included in the registration concurrently with the securities being registered
by the Company would materially adversely affect the distribution of such
securities by the Company for its own account, then the Holders shall delay the
offering and sale of the Registrable Securities (or the portions thereof so
designated by such managing underwriter) for such period, not to exceed ninety
(90) days (the "Delay Period"), as the managing underwriter shall request,
provided that no such delay shall be required as to any Registrable Securities
if any securities of the Company are included in such registration statement and
eligible for sale during the Delay Period for the account of any person other
than the Company and the Holders unless the securities included in such
registration statement and eligible for sale during the Delay Period for such
other person shall have been reduced pro rata to the reduction of the
Registrable Securities which were requested to be included and eligible for sale
during the Delay Period in such registration.

            (c) Definition of Expenses.

                  (i) "Registration Expenses" shall mean all expenses incurred
      by the Company in complying with Section 1 hereof, including, without
      limitation, all registration, filing and qualification fees, underwriters
      expense allowances, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel
      for the Company, Blue Sky fees and expenses (but excluding the
      compensation of regular employees of the Company which shall be paid in
      any event by the Company).

                  (ii) "Selling Expenses" shall mean all underwriting discounts
      and selling commissions applicable to the sale of the Registrable
      Securities in the registration and all fees and disbursements of any
      special counsel (other than the Company's regular counsel) for any Holder
      (but excluding the compensation of regular employees of the Company which
      shall be paid in any event by the Company).

            (d) Expenses of Registration. All Registration Expenses incurred in
connection with any registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to
Section 1 (a) shall be borne by the Company. All Selling Expenses incurred in
connection with any registration pursuant to Section 1 shall be borne by the
Holders of the securities so registered, pro rate, on the basis of the number of
shares so registered (provided that each Holder shall bear the full amount of
the fees and disbursements of any counsel retained by it).

            (e) In the event of a registration pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 1, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registrable
Securities so registered to be registered or qualified for sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Holders may reasonably
request; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify to
do

                                       3
<PAGE>

business in any state by reason of this Section 1(e) which it is not otherwise
required to qualify to do business.

            (f) In the event of a registration pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 1, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a
registration statement with respect to the Registrable Securities requested to
be registered and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
become effective, and shall keep effective any registration or qualification
contemplated by this Section 1 and shall from time to time amend or supplement
each applicable registration statement, preliminary prospectus, final
prospectus, application, document and communication for such period of time as
shall be required to permit the Holders to complete the offer and sale of
Registrable Securities covered thereby. The Company shall in no event be
required to keep any such registration or qualification in effect for a
period in excess of six (6) months from the date on which the Holders are
first free to sell all such Registrable Securities; provided, however, that,
if the Company is required to keep any such registration or qualification in
effect with respect to securities other than the Registrable Securities
beyond such period, the Company shall keep such registration or qualification
in effect as it relates to the Registrable Securities for so long as such
registration or qualification remains or is required to remain in effect in
respect of such other securities.

            (g) In the event of a registration pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 1, the Company shall promptly furnish to the Holders such number of
copies of the registration statement and of each amendment and supplement
thereto (in each case, including all exhibits), such reasonable number of copies
of each prospectus contained in such registration statement and each supplement
or amendment thereto (including each preliminary prospectus), all of which shall
conform to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder and such other documents, as the Holders may reasonably request to
facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities included in such
registration.

            (h) In the event of a registration pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 1, the Company shall promptly furnish the Holders with an opinion
of its counsel to the effect that (i) the registration statement has become
effective under the Securities Act and no order suspending the effectiveness of
the registration statement, preventing or suspending the use of the registration
statement, any preliminary prospectus, any final prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto has been issued, nor has the Commission or any securities or
Blue Sky authority of any jurisdiction instituted or threatened to institute any
proceedings with respect to such an order, (ii) the registration statement and
each prospectus forming a part thereof (including each preliminary prospectus),
and any amendment or supplement thereto, comply as to form with the Securities
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and (iii) such counsel has no
knowledge of any material misstatement or omission in such registration
statement or any prospectus, as amended or supplemented. The opinions described
in clauses (ii) and (iii) of the preceding sentence shall be delivered only if
the registration is made pursuant to an underwritten public offering and the
underwriter requires similar opinions to be delivered by the Company counsel as
a closing condition. In such an underwritten offering, if required by the
underwriter, the opinion shall also state the jurisdictions in which the
Registrable Securities have been registered or qualified for sale pursuant to
the provisions of Section 1(e).

                                       4
<PAGE>

            (i) The Company agrees that until all the Registrable Securities
have been sold under a registration statement or pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, the Company agrees to:

                  (i) use its best efforts to make and keep public information
      available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144
      promulgated under the Securities Act, at all times after ninety (90) days
      after the effective date of the first registration statement filed by the
      Company.

                  (ii) at any time when the Company is eligible to file a
      registration statement on Form S-3 (or any successor form), take such
      action, as is necessary to enable the Holders to utilize Form S-3 for the
      sale of their Registrable Securities, such action to be taken as soon as
      practicable after the end of the fiscal year in which the first
      registration statement filed by the Company for the offering of its
      securities to the general public is declared effective or such earlier
      date as may be required by any stock exchange or quotation system upon
      which the Common Stock may be traded;

                  (iii) file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports
      and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and
      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"); and

                  (iv) furnish to any Holder, so long as the Holder owns any
      Registrable Securities, promptly upon request; (i) a written statement by
      the Company that it has used its best efforts to make and keep public
      information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule
      144 (at any time after ninety (90) days after the effective date of the
      first registration statement filed by the Company), complied in all
      material respects with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act (at
      any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements), or
      that it qualifies as a registrant those securities may be resold pursuant
      to Form S-3 (at any time after it so qualifies); (ii) a copy of the most
      recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports
      and documents so filed by the Company; and (iii) such other information as
      may be reasonably requested in order to permit any Holder to avail itself
      of any rule or regulation of the Commission or any state securities
      authority which permits the selling of any such securities without
      registration or pursuant to such form.

            (j) The Company shall notify the Holders promptly when such
registration statement has become effective or a supplement to any prospectus
forming a part of such registration statement has been filed.

            (k) At any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be
delivered under the Securities Act, the Company shall promptly notify the
Holders of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus
included in such registration statement, as then in effect, would include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
in the light of the circumstances then existing, and at the reasonable request
of the Holders prepare and furnish to it

                                       5
<PAGE>

such number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as
may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such
Registrable Securities or securities, such prospectus shall not include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made.

            (l) If requested by the underwriter for any underwritten offering of
Registrable Securities on behalf of the Holders, the Company and the Holders
will enter into an underwriting agreement with such underwriter for such
offering, which shall be reasonably satisfactory in substance and form to the
Company, and the Company's counsel, the Holders and the underwriter, and such
agreement shall contain such representations and warranties by the Company and
the Holders and such other terms and provisions as are customarily contained in
an underwriting agreement with respect to secondary distributions solely by
selling stockholders, including, without limitation, indemnities substantially
to the effect and to the extent (but in no event greater than those) provided in
Section 2 hereof.

      2. Indemnification. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, its officers, directors,
partners, members, managers, employees, agents, and counsel, and each person, if
any, who controls any such person within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, from and against any and
all loss, liability, charge, claim, damage, and expense whatsoever (which shall
include, for all purposes of this Section 2, but not limited to, attorneys' fees
and any and all reasonable expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating,
preparing, or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or
litigation), as and when incurred, arising out of, based upon, or in connection
with (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained (A) in any registration statement, preliminary prospectus, or final
prospectus (as from time to time amended and supplemented), or any amendment or
supplement thereto, relating to the sale of any of the Registrable Securities or
(B) in any application or other document or communication (in this Section 2
collectively called an "application") executed by or on behalf of the Company
or based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company
filed in any jurisdiction in order to register or qualify any of the Registrable
Securities under the securities or Blue Sky laws thereof or filed with the
Commission or any securities exchange; or any omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements made therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company with respect to such Holder by or on behalf of such Holder expressly
for inclusion in any registration statement, preliminary prospectus, or
final prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application,
as the case may be, or (ii) any breach of any representation, warranty,
covenant, or agreement of the Company contained in this Agreement. The foregoing
agreement to indemnify shall be in addition to any liability the Company may
otherwise have, including liabilities arising under this Agreement.

            (a) If any action is brought against a Holder or any of its
officers, directors, partners, members, managers, employees, agents, or counsel,
or any controlling persons of such person (an "indemnified party") in respect of
which indemnity may be sought against the Company

                                       6
<PAGE>

pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, such indemnified party or parties shall
promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action (the
failure to notify the Company within a reasonable time of the commencement of
any such action, to the extent prejudicial to the Company's ability to defend
such action, shall relieve the Company of liability to the indemnified party
pursuant to this Section 2(a), but the failure so to notify shall not relieve
the Company from any liability other than pursuant to this Section 2(a)) and the
Company shall promptly assume the defense of such action, including the
employment of counsel (reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party or
parties), provided that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ its
or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless the
employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Company
in connection with the defense of such action or the Company shall not have
promptly employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party or
parties, or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it or them or to other
indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to
the Company, in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the
Company and the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such
action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties. Anything in this Section 2
to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such claim or action effected without its written consent,
which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company shall not, without the
prior written consent of each indemnified party that is not released as
described in this sentence, settle or compromise any action, or permit a default
or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any
pending or threatened action, in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such
settlement, compromise, consent, or termination includes an unconditional
release of each indemnified party from all liability in respect of such action.
The Company agrees promptly to notify such Holder of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers or
directors in connection with the sale of any Registrable Securities or any
preliminary prospectus, prospectus, registration statement, or amendment or
supplement thereto, or any application relating to any sale of any Registrable
Securities.

            (b) Each Holder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who shall have signed
any registration statement covering Registrable Securities held by such Holder,
each other person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, and its or their
respective counsel, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the
Company to the Holder in Section 2(a), but only with respect to statements or
omissions, if any, made in any registration statement, preliminary prospects, or
final prospectus (as from time to time amended and supplemented), or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the
Holder by or on behalf of the Holder, expressly for inclusion in any such
registration statement, preliminary prospectus, or final prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, as the case may be. If
any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so
indemnified based on any such registration statement, preliminary prospectus, or
final prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application,
and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Holder pursuant to
this Section 2(b), the Holder shall

                                       7
<PAGE>

have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other
person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the indemnified
parties, by the provisions of Section 2(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
liability of each Holder under this Section 2 shall be limited to an amount
equal to the proceeds to such Holder of Registrable Securities sold as
contemplated herein.

            (c) To provide for just and equitable contribution, if (i) an
indemnified party makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to Section 2(a) or
2(b) (subject to the limitations thereof) but it is found in a final judicial
determination, not subject to further appeal, that such indemnification may not
be enforced in such case, even though this Agreement expressly provides for
indemnification in such cases, or (ii) any indemnified or indemnifying party
seeks contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, then
the Company (including for this purpose any contribution made by or on behalf of
any director of the Company, any officer of the Company who signed any such
registration statement, any controlling person of the Company, and its or their
respective counsel), as one entity, and each Holder as a second entity, shall
contribute to the losses, liabilities, claims, damages, and expenses whatsoever
to which any of them may be subject, (after contribution from others) on the
basis of relevant equitable considerations such as the relative fault of the
Company and such Holder in connection with the facts which resulted in such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages, and expenses. The relative fault, in the
case of any untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission, or alleged
omission shall be determined by, among other things, whether such statement,
alleged statement, omission, or alleged omission relates to information supplied
by the Company or by such Holder, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement,
alleged statement, omission, or alleged omission.

            The Company and the Holders agree that it would be unjust and
inequitable if the respective obligations of the Company and the Holders for
contribution were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation of the
aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages, and expenses (even if the
Holders and the other indemnified parties were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not reflect the
equitable considerations referred to in this Section 2(c). Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the liability of each Holder under
this Section 2(c) shall be limited to an amount equal to the proceeds to such
Holder of Registrable Securities as contemplated herein. No person guilty of a
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who is not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 2(c),
each person, if any, who controls any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act and each officer,
director, partner, employee, agent, and counsel of any Holder or control person
shall have the same rights to contribution as such Holder or control person and
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, each officer of the
Company who shall have signed any such registration statement, each director of
the Company, and its or their respective counsel shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions of this
Section 2(c). Anything in this Section 2(c) to the contrary notwithstanding, no
party shall be liable for contribution with respect to the settlement of any
claim or action effected

                                       8
<PAGE>

without its written consent. This Section 2(c) is intended to supersede any
right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise.

      3. Assignment of Registration Rights. The rights to cause the Company to
register Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 1 may be assigned by a
Holder to a transferee or assignee of such securities: (i) if such transferee or
assignee was a Holder of Registrable Securities hereunder prior to such
transfer, (ii) if such transfer is made in connection with the transfer of all
Registrable Securities held by the transferor, or (iii) in connection with a
distribution by such Holder, to any partner, former partner, member, former
member, stockholder or former stockholder, or the estate of any such person,
provided the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished
with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and
the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being
assigned; provided, however, that such assignment shall be effective only if
immediately following such transfer the transferee is bound by the terms and
conditions of this Agreement and such transfer of any Registrable Securities is
lawful under all applicable securities laws.

      4. Miscellaneous.

            (a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company of its
obligations under this Agreement, the Holder, in addition to being entitled to
exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be
entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement.

            (b) Agreements and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, unless such amendment, modification or supplement is in writing
and signed by the Company and a majority in interest of holders of Registrable
Securities who are parties hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment
to this Section 4 which would impose restrictions on a Holder's ability to
dispose of any securities of the Company other than the Registrable Securities
shall be binding upon a Holder unless such Holder has agreed to such amendment.

            (c) Notices. Except as otherwise specified herein, any notice,
demand or request required or permitted to be given pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given (i) when delivered
personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with a hard copy to follow)
on or before 5:00 p.m., central time, on a business day or, if the day is not a
business day, on the next succeeding business day, (ii) on the next business day
after timely delivery to an overnight courier and (iii) on the third business
day after deposit in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid), addressed as follows:

            If to the Company:

            Universal Access, Inc.
            100 North Riverside Plaza
            Suite 2200
            Chicago, Illinois 60606

                                       9
<PAGE>

            Phone: 312-660-5000
            Fax:   312-660-5050

            With a copy to:

            Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.
            444 North Michigan Avenue
            Suite 2500
            Chicago, Illinois 60611
            Attn: Mitchell D. Goldsmith, Esq.
            Phone: 312-836-4006
            Fax:   312-527-3194

and if to a Holder, at its address as shown on the stock records of the Company;
or such other address as any such party shall deliver to the Company.

            (d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the
parties, including without limitation transferees or assignees of the
Registrable Shares subject to Section 3.

            (e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

            (f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
references only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

            (g) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to its
conflicts of law provisions.

            (h) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein, or the application hereof in any circumstance is
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provisions contained herein shall not be affected or
impaired thereby.

            (i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a
final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive
statement of this agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect
of the subject matter contained herein. There are not restrictions, promises
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein,
concerning the registration rights granted by the Company pursuant to this
Agreement.

                                       10
<PAGE>

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed
as of the date first written above.

                                            UNIVERSAL ACCESS, INC.

                                            By: /s/ Patrick Shutt
                                               _________________________
                                            Name: Patrick Shutt
                                            Title: President

                                            HOLDERS:

                                            /s/ Barbara Argy
                                            ____________________________
                                            Barbara Argy

                                            /s/ Donald A. Buss
                                            ____________________________
                                            Donald A. Buss

                                            /s/ Linda M. Cirone
                                            ____________________________
                                            Linda M. Cirone

                                            /s/ Jeffrey S. Close
                                            ____________________________
                                            Jeffrey S. Close

                                            /s/ Steven G. Janik
                                            ____________________________
                                            Steven G. Janik

                                            /s/ Kimberly C. Jonah
                                            ____________________________
                                            Kimberly C. Jonah

                                            /s/ Dianne L. Kuzmickas
                                            ____________________________
                                            Dianne L. Kuzmickas

                                       11
<PAGE>

                                            /s/ Kristen D. Kuzmickas
                                            ____________________________
                                            Kristen D. Kuzmickas

                                            /s/ Heidi A. Lindberg
                                            ____________________________
                                            Heidi A. Lindberg

                                            /s/ Gerald L. Mayfield
                                            ____________________________
                                            Gerald L. Mayfield

                                            /s/ Ahmed Nassar
                                            ____________________________
                                            Ahmed Nassar

                                            /s/ Jim Nathan
                                            ____________________________
                                            Jim Nathan

                                            /s/ Juliann T. Parsons
                                            ____________________________
                                            Juliann T. Parsons

                                            /s/ Catalin E. Popescu
                                            ____________________________
                                            Catalin E. Popescu

                                            /s/ Len Raymond
                                            ____________________________
                                            Len Raymond

                                            /s/ Nicole Sistare
                                            ____________________________
                                            Nicole Sistare

                                            /s/ Dina L. Wilson
                                            ____________________________
                                            Dina L. Wilson

                                       12

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00013-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00013-of-00352.parquet"}]]