LONG-TERM DEBT	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
LONG-TERM DEBT
LONG-TERM DEBT	NOTE 6. LONG-TERM DEBT On July 20, 2016, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit facility agreement (the “Amended Credit Facility”), under which our former $100.0 million credit facility (under which as of June 30, 2016 the borrowing capacity had been reduced to $45.5 million as a result of $19.5 million in mandatory reductions pursuant to the agreement and $35.0 million in voluntary reductions, as allowed by the agreement) was increased to $250.0 million, and the maturity date was extended from November 15, 2016 to July 20, 2021. As of September 30, 2017, we had borrowed $26.2 million of the principal under the Amended Credit Facility, and had a $0.6 million Standby Letter of Credit and $223.2 million remaining in available borrowings of the $250.0 million maximum principal available under the Amended Credit Facility. As of September 30, 2017, there have been no withdrawals from the Standby Letter of Credit. The total revolving loan commitment under the Amended Credit Facility will be automatically and permanently reduced to $50.0 million in the first full quarter after completion of the expansion project at the Monarch Casino Black Hawk and all then outstanding revolving loans up to $200.0 million under the Amended Credit Facility will be converted to a term loan at such time. We may be required to prepay borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility using excess cash flows depending on our leverage ratio no later than December 31, 2019. We have an option to permanently reduce the maximum revolving available credit at any time so long as the amount of such reduction is at least $0.5 million and in multiples of $50,000. Borrowings are secured by liens on substantially all of the Company’s real and personal property. In addition to other customary covenants for a facility of this nature, as of September 30, 2017, we are required to maintain a leverage ratio, defined as consolidated debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA, of no more than 3.5:1 and a fixed charge coverage ratio (Adjusted EBITDA divided by fixed charges, as defined in the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement) of at least 1.15:1. As of September 30, 2017, the Company’s leverage ratio and fixed charge coverage ratios were 0.4:1 and 41.3:1, respectively. The interest rate under the Amended Credit Facility is LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 2.50%, or a base rate (as defined in the Amended Credit Facility) plus a margin ranging from 0.00% to 1.50%, or the Prime Rate. The applicable margins will vary depending on our leverage ratio. Commitment fees are equal to the daily average unused revolving commitment multiplied by the commitment fee percentage, ranging from 0.175% to 0.45%, based on our leverage ratio. At September 30, 2017, our interest rate was based on LIBOR and our leverage ratio was such that pricing for borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility was LIBOR plus 1.00%. At September 30, 2017, the one-month LIBOR interest rate was 1.24%. The carrying value of the debt outstanding under the Amended Credit Facility approximates fair value because the interest fluctuates with the lender’s prime rate or other market rates of interest. We may prepay borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility without penalty (subject to certain charges applicable to the prepayment of LIBOR borrowings prior to the end of the applicable interest period). Amounts prepaid may be re-borrowed so long as the total borrowings outstanding do not exceed the maximum principal available. We believe that our existing cash balances, cash flow from operations and borrowings available under the Amended Credit Facility will provide us with sufficient resources to fund our operations, meet our debt obligations, and fulfill our capital expenditure plans over the next twelve months; however, our operations are subject to financial, economic, competitive, regulatory, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow or if our cash needs exceed our borrowing capacity under the Amended Credit Facility, we could be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as reducing, delaying or eliminating planned capital expenditures, selling assets, restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital.

NOTE 6. LONG-TERM DEBT

On July 20, 2016, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit facility agreement (the “Amended Credit Facility”), under which our former $100.0 million credit facility (under which as of June 30, 2016 the borrowing capacity had been reduced to $45.5 million as a result of $19.5 million in mandatory reductions pursuant to the agreement and $35.0 million in voluntary reductions, as allowed by the agreement) was increased to $250.0 million, and the maturity date was extended from November 15, 2016 to July 20, 2021.

As of September 30, 2017, we had borrowed $26.2 million of the principal under the Amended Credit Facility, and had a $0.6 million Standby Letter of Credit and $223.2 million remaining in available borrowings of the $250.0 million maximum principal available under the Amended Credit Facility. As of September 30, 2017, there have been no withdrawals from the Standby Letter of Credit.

The total revolving loan commitment under the Amended Credit Facility will be automatically and permanently reduced to $50.0 million in the first full quarter after completion of the expansion project at the Monarch Casino Black Hawk and all then outstanding revolving loans up to $200.0 million under the Amended Credit Facility will be converted to a term loan at such time. We may be required to prepay borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility using excess cash flows depending on our leverage ratio no later than December 31, 2019. We have an option to permanently reduce the maximum revolving available credit at any time so long as the amount of such reduction is at least $0.5 million and in multiples of $50,000.

Borrowings are secured by liens on substantially all of the Company’s real and personal property.

In addition to other customary covenants for a facility of this nature, as of September 30, 2017, we are required to maintain a leverage ratio, defined as consolidated debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA, of no more than 3.5:1 and a fixed charge coverage ratio (Adjusted EBITDA divided by fixed charges, as defined in the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement) of at least 1.15:1. As of September 30, 2017, the Company’s leverage ratio and fixed charge coverage ratios were 0.4:1 and 41.3:1, respectively.

The interest rate under the Amended Credit Facility is LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 2.50%, or a base rate (as defined in the Amended Credit Facility) plus a margin ranging from 0.00% to 1.50%, or the Prime Rate. The applicable margins will vary depending on our leverage ratio. Commitment fees are equal to the daily average unused revolving commitment multiplied by the commitment fee percentage, ranging from 0.175% to 0.45%, based on our leverage ratio.

At September 30, 2017, our interest rate was based on LIBOR and our leverage ratio was such that pricing for borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility was LIBOR plus 1.00%. At September 30, 2017, the one-month LIBOR interest rate was 1.24%. The carrying value of the debt outstanding under the Amended Credit Facility approximates fair value because the interest fluctuates with the lender’s prime rate or other market rates of interest.

We may prepay borrowings under the Amended Credit Facility without penalty (subject to certain charges applicable to the prepayment of LIBOR borrowings prior to the end of the applicable interest period). Amounts prepaid may be re-borrowed so long as the total borrowings outstanding do not exceed the maximum principal available.

We believe that our existing cash balances, cash flow from operations and borrowings available under the Amended Credit Facility will provide us with sufficient resources to fund our operations, meet our debt obligations, and fulfill our capital expenditure plans over the next twelve months; however, our operations are subject to financial, economic, competitive, regulatory, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow or if our cash needs exceed our borrowing capacity under the Amended Credit Facility, we could be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as reducing, delaying or eliminating planned capital expenditures, selling assets, restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital.