Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Organisation, Nature and History of Operations

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Organisation, Nature and History of Operations
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Organisation, Nature and History of Operations [Abstract]  
ORGANIZATION, NATURE AND HISTORY OF OPERATIONS

1. ORGANIZATION, NATURE AND HISTORY OF OPERATIONS

Nature of operations and key relationships. Full House Resorts, Inc. (“we,” “us,” “our,” “Full House” or the “Company”), develops, manages, invests in and/or owns gaming related enterprises. The Company continues to actively investigate, individually and with partners, new business opportunities.

Rising Star. On April 1, 2011, we acquired all of the operating assets of Grand Victoria Casino & Resort, L.P. through Gaming Entertainment (Indiana) LLC, our wholly-owned subsidiary. In August 2011, the property, which includes over 1,300 slot and video poker machines, 37 table games, a 201-room hotel, five dining outlets and an 18-hole Scottish links golf course, was renamed Rising Star Casino Resort (“Rising Star”).

Grand Lodge. On June 28, 2011, the Company, through a wholly owned subsidiary, entered into a five-year lease agreement with Hyatt Equities, LLC for the Grand Lodge Casino (“Grand Lodge”) at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino in Incline Village, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. The Company will pay a fixed monthly rent of $0.1 million over the initial term of the lease. On September 1, 2011, the Company acquired the operating assets and certain liabilities related to the Grand Lodge Casino for purchase price of approximately $0.7 million, exclusive of operating cash and working capital. The Grand Lodge Casino features approximately 258 slot machines, 21 table games and 4 poker tables and is integrated into Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino.

GED. We, until August 31, 2011, were a noncontrolling 50% investor in Gaming Entertainment (Delaware), LLC (“GED”), a joint venture with Harrington Raceway, Inc. (“HRI”). GED had a 15 year management contract through August 2011 with Harrington Casino at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Delaware.

Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, as restructured in 2007, the Company received the greater of 50% of GED’s member distribution as currently prescribed under the joint venture agreement, or a 5% growth rate in its 50% share of GED’s prior year member distribution through the expiration of the GED management contract in August 2011 (Note 3).

GEM. We own 50% of Gaming Entertainment Michigan, LLC (“GEM”), a joint venture with RAM Entertainment, LLC (“RAM”), where the Company is the primary beneficiary and, therefore, we consolidated GEM in our consolidated financial statements. RAM is a privately-held investment company. GEM has a 7-year management agreement with the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians for the development and management of the FireKeepers Casino near Battle Creek, Michigan. More specifically, the joint venture has the exclusive right to provide casino management services to the Michigan tribe in exchange for a management fee, after certain other distributions are paid to the Tribe, of 26% of net revenues (defined effectively as net income before management fees) for seven years which commenced upon the opening of the FireKeepers Casino on August 5, 2009.

On August 5, 2009, the FireKeepers Casino commenced operations. FireKeepers Casino is located at Exit 104 directly off Interstate 94 in Battle Creek, Michigan. FireKeepers Casino has a 106,900 square foot gaming floor with 2,801 Class III slot machines, 70 table games, a 120-seat poker room and a bingo hall. In addition, the property features five restaurants, including a 70-seat fine dining signature restaurant, a 300-seat buffet, a 150-seat 24-hour cafe and a 110-seat quick service restaurant and a grab-and-go outlet, as well as three bar areas. The bar areas include a sports bar with high definition flat screen televisions, a 113-seat lounge with cabaret and live entertainment and a lounge within our fine dining area. The casino also has an approximately 4,000 square-foot multi-function room used for special events and a gift shop with branded merchandise, an attached multi-level parking garage that accommodates approximately 2,100 vehicles, surface parking for an additional 600 vehicles and an area for bus and recreational vehicle parking.

On December 2, 2010, the FireKeepers Development Authority entered into a hotel consulting services agreement with GEM, as the consultant, related to the FireKeepers Casino phase II development project, which includes development of a hotel, multi-purpose/ballroom facility, surface parking and related ancillary support spaces and improvements. GEM is performing hotel consulting services for a fixed fee of $0.01 million per month, continuing through to the opening of the project, provided the total fee for services do not exceed $0.2 million in total. Construction of the hotel and events center development commenced in May 2011 and will include a larger bingo facility, an entertainment venue and dining options, and a 242-room hotel that will include an indoor pool, exercise facility, full-service restaurant, and multi-purpose event center. The Project is anticipated to open in the fall of 2012.

Stockman’s. We acquired 100% of the stock of Stockman’s Casino in Fallon, Nevada (“Stockman’s”) on January 31, 2007. Stockman’s Casino has approximately 8,400 square feet of gaming space with approximately 265 slot machines, four table games and keno. The facility also has a bar, a fine dining restaurant and a coffee shop.

Other. In May 2011, the Company entered into a three-year agreement with the Pueblo of Pojoaque to advise on the operations of the Buffalo Thunder Casino and Resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico along with the Pueblo’s Cities of Gold and Sports Bar casino facilities. The Company receives a base fee of $0.1 million per month plus a success fee based on achieving certain financial targets and expects to incur only minimal incremental operating costs related to the contract. The Company’s agreements were submitted to the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and were approved as a management contract on September 2, 2011. During its review, the NIGC determined that the relationship of the Company to the casino facilities was a management relationship and the agreement is treated as a management contract for purposes of the NIGC review and approval. Effective on September 23, 2011, the Pueblo issued a Notice to Commence and the Company began management of the casino facilities.