TAXES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
TAXES.
TAXES	NOTE 7. TAXES For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company’s effective tax rate was 37.7% compared to 35.9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 with the increase in the effective tax rate primarily attributable to the $1.8 million expense related to the campaign against the proposed 2014 ballot initiatives to expand gaming in Colorado which is not deductible for federal and state tax purposes. Sales and Use Tax on Complimentary Meals On March 27, 2008, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a decision in Sparks Nugget, Inc. vs. The State of Nevada Department of Taxation (the “Department”), holding that food purchased for subsequent use in the provision of complimentary and/or employee meal was exempt from use tax. As a result of this decision, refund claims were filed for use taxes paid over the period April 1997 through March 2000 and the period February 2005 through June 2008, on food purchased for subsequent use in complimentary and employee meals at our Nevada casino property. We requested refunds totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest (“the Refunds”). We did not recognize any of these refund amounts. In February 2012, the Department issued a policy directive, requesting that affected taxpayers begin collecting and remitting sales tax on complimentary meals and employee meals effective February 2012 and on June 25, 2012, the Nevada Tax Commission adopted regulations providing for a similar requirement. Subject to these regulations we accrued $0.6 million through June 2013 related to this directive. The Department policy directive was challenged by several affected parties and in June 2013, the Nevada Tax Commission issued a ruling that complimentary and employee meals were no longer subject to sales taxation. Associated with the ruling, the Nevada hotel-casino industry, including the Company, agreed to forego and cause to be withdrawn certain pending use tax refund requests. Pursuant to that agreement, we withdrew our request for the Refunds. As a result of the ruling, we reversed the accumulated sales tax expense accrual totaling $0.6 million in the second quarter of 2013.

TAXES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

NOTE 7. TAXES

For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company’s effective tax rate was 37.7% compared to 35.9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 with the increase in the effective tax rate primarily attributable to the $1.8 million expense related to the campaign against the proposed 2014 ballot initiatives to expand gaming in Colorado which is not deductible for federal and state tax purposes.

Sales and Use Tax on Complimentary Meals

On March 27, 2008, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a decision in Sparks Nugget, Inc. vs. The State of Nevada Department of Taxation (the “Department”), holding that food purchased for subsequent use in the provision of complimentary and/or employee meal was exempt from use tax. As a result of this decision, refund claims were filed for use taxes paid over the period April 1997 through March 2000 and the period February 2005 through June 2008, on food purchased for subsequent use in complimentary and employee meals at our Nevada casino property. We requested refunds totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest (“the Refunds”). We did not recognize any of these refund amounts.

In February 2012, the Department issued a policy directive, requesting that affected taxpayers begin collecting and remitting sales tax on complimentary meals and employee meals effective February 2012 and on June 25, 2012, the Nevada Tax Commission adopted regulations providing for a similar requirement. Subject to these regulations we accrued $0.6 million through June 2013 related to this directive.

The Department policy directive was challenged by several affected parties and in June 2013, the Nevada Tax Commission issued a ruling that complimentary and employee meals were no longer subject to sales taxation. Associated with the ruling, the Nevada hotel-casino industry, including the Company, agreed to forego and cause to be withdrawn certain pending use tax refund requests. Pursuant to that agreement, we withdrew our request for the Refunds. As a result of the ruling, we reversed the accumulated sales tax expense accrual totaling $0.6 million in the second quarter of 2013.