SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation:

Basis of Presentation:

Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc., was incorporated in 1993 and through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Golden Road Motor Inn, Inc. (“Golden Road”), owns and operates the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, a hotel/casino facility in Reno, Nevada (the “Atlantis”).  Monarch’s wholly owned subsidiaries, High Desert Sunshine, Inc. (“High Desert”) and Golden North, Inc. (“Golden North”), each own separate parcels of land located proximate to the Atlantis.  Monarch’s wholly owned subsidiary Monarch Growth Inc. (“Monarch Growth”), formed in 2011, acquired Riviera Black Hawk, Inc., owner of the Riviera Black Hawk Casino (collectively “Monarch Black Hawk”) on April 26, 2012. Riviera Black Hawk Casino was renamed Monarch Casino Black Hawk in October 2013.  Monarch Growth also owns a parcel of land in Black Hawk, Colorado contiguous to the Riviera Black Hawk Casino. The Company has included the results of Black Hawk in its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition.

Monarch’s wholly owned subsidiary Monarch Interactive, Inc. (“Monarch Interactive”) was formed on January 4, 2012 and received approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission on August 23, 2012, which approval was extended on February 26, 2013 and August 22, 2013, each for an additional six month period, pending commencement of operations, for a license as an operator of interactive gaming.  Before the license can be issued, a number of conditions must be met and before operations can commence, the Company must enter into contracts with a licensed interactive gaming service provider with an approved system.  None of these conditions have occurred, and Monarch Interactive is not currently engaged in any operating activities.  In Nevada, legal interactive gaming is currently limited to intrastate poker.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Monarch and its subsidiaries.  Intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated.

Unless otherwise indicated, “Monarch,” “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Interim Financial Statements:

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements.  In the opinion of management of the Company, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation are included.  Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013.

The balance sheet at December 31, 2012 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements.  For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Correction of Immaterial Error and Reclassifications:

Correction of Immaterial Error and Reclassifications:

During the second quarter of 2013, the Company identified that immaterial amounts of promotional items provided to its patrons including free play and cash back awards to casino customers were improperly recorded as selling, general and administrative expenses instead of being recorded as a direct offset to revenue. In accordance with ASC 605-50, Revenue Recognition, free play and cash vouchers should be recorded as an offset to revenues instead of being reported as an expense. Additionally, $11,000 was reclassified between the Operating expenses and Other expenses in the three months ended September 30, 2012. The following table compares previously reported net revenues and operating expenses to as adjusted amounts, reflecting the reclassification of immaterial promotional amounts in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (in thousands):

	Three months ended March 31, 2013							Three months ended September 30, 2012							Nine months ended September 30, 2012
	Previously reported		Correction			As adjusted		Previously reported		Correction			As adjusted		Previously reported		Correction			As adjusted
Net Revenues	$	47,644	$	(2,039	)	$	45,605	$	47,862	$	(1,834	)	$	46,028	$	126,708	$	(5,310	)	$	121,398
Operating Expenses	40,459		(2,039		)	38,420		40,995		(1,845		)	39,150		113,594		(5,310		)	108,284

The reclassifications had an immaterial effect on the previously reported income from operations and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and no effect on previously reported, net income or cash flows of the Company. Additionally, the Company reclassified approximately $0.2 million and $0.6 million of stock-based compensation expense from the Atlantis Adjusted EBITDA segment to the Corporate and other segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively. This reclassification had no effect on Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA. The Company has evaluated the change in presentation on prior period financial statements taking into account the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108, Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements (SAB 108). In accordance with the relevant guidance, we evaluated the materiality of the error from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Based on such evaluation, we concluded that correcting the error did not have a material impact on any individual prior period financial statement or affect the trend of financial results. As provided by SAB 108, the portion of the immaterial error and reclassification that impacts previously reported net revenues and operating expenses for the three month ended March 31, 2013, and the annual and quarterly periods for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 will not require the previously filed annual reports on Form 10-K or quarterly reports on Form 10-Q to be amended and the correction is permitted to be made the next time we file our prior period financial statements.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

The estimated fair value of the Company’s financial instruments has been determined by the Company, using available market information and valuation methodologies.  However, considerable judgment is required to develop the estimates of fair value; thus, the estimates provided herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that the Company could realize in a current market exchange.

The carrying amounts of cash, receivables, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments.