Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
10.
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
Operating leases
 
The nature of our operating leases are as follows:
     
Leased Property
 
Term / Expiration
Grand Lodge Casino facility
 
7 years/August 2018
Land lease of Silver Slipper Casino site
 
54 years/April 2058
 
Additionally, we have less significant operating leases for certain office and warehouse facilities, office equipment, signage and land.
 
The total rent expense for all operating leases for the quarters ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 was $0.9 million.
 
Grand Lodge Casino Lease. In 2011, we entered into a lease with Hyatt Equities L.L.C. to operate the Grand Lodge Casino (“Grand Lodge Lease”). The Grand Lodge Lease is secured by the Company’s interests under the lease and property as defined and is subordinate to the liens in the First and Second Lien Credit Facilities. Hyatt Equities, L.L.C. has an option to purchase our leasehold interest and related operating assets of the Grand Lodge Casino subject to assumption of applicable liabilities. The option price is an amount equal to the Grand Lodge Casino’s positive working capital, plus Grand Lodge Casino’s earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) for the twelve-month period preceding the acquisition or for such period of time remaining on the lease term, whichever is less, plus the fair market value of the Grand Lodge Casino’s personal property. The Grand Lodge Lease was amended in 2013 to extend the initial term to August 31, 2018 among certain other conforming changes.
 
Options to Purchase Silver Slipper Casino Leased Land. In 2004, our subsidiary, Silver Slipper Casino Venture, LLC, entered into a land lease with Cure Land Company, LLC for approximately 31 acres of marshlands and a seven-acre parcel on which the Silver Slipper Casino is situated. The lease includes base monthly payments of $77,500 plus 3% of gross gaming revenue in excess of $3.65 million, as defined. The land lease includes an exclusive option to purchase the leased land (“Purchase Option”) after February 26, 2019 through October 1, 2027, as well as an option to purchase only a four-acre portion of the leased land for $2.0 million, which may be exercised at any time in conjunction with the development of a hotel. If there is no change in ownership, the purchase price of the leased land will be $15.5 million ($13.5 million if the four-acre parcel has been previously purchased) plus a retained interest in Silver Slipper Casino operations of 3% of net income as defined. In the event that we sell or transfer substantially all of the assets of our ownership in Silver Slipper Casino, then the purchase price will increase to $17.1 million. The current term of the land lease is through April 30, 2058.

 

 
Silver Slipper Casino Hotel Construction
 
On August 26, 2013, the Silver Slipper Casino entered into an agreement for the construction of a 129-room hotel adjoining the casino. We expect costs related to the construction of the hotel to be approximately $20 million, inclusive of capitalized interest. We intend to finance $10 million of the construction costs with proceeds from the term loan under the First Lien Credit Facility as described in Note 8. The remaining construction and related costs will be funded from available working capital. As of March 31, 2015, we had funded $8.5 million of hotel construction costs in cash, and anticipate funding an additional $1.6 million in cash to complete the project, including capitalized interest. We expect to complete and open the hotel in phases during the second quarter of 2015.
 
Indiana Department of Revenue
 
During 2014, we received a proposed assessment of $1.6 million, including interest and penalties, from the Indiana Department of Revenue (“IDOR”) related to unpaid sales and use taxes for periods prior to 2013. We protested and resolved the proposed assessment after March 31, 2015 for an amount that approximated our estimate. See Note 13 for additional information regarding the resolution of this issue.
 
Legal Matters
 
We are party to a number of pending legal proceedings which occurred in the normal course of business. Management does not expect that the outcome of such proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations.