STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION.

Summary of stock option activity

		Weighted Average
				Remaining		Aggregate
		Exercise		Contractual		Intrinsic
Stock Options	Shares	Price		Term		Value
Stock Option Shares outstanding at beginning of period	2,236,864	$	26.21	—			—
Stock Option Shares granted	352,617		43.66	—			—
Stock Option Shares exercised	(222,362)		18.26	—			—
Stock Option Shares forfeited	(30,000)		34.77	—			—
Stock Option Shares expired	—		—	—			—
Stock Option Shares outstanding at end of period	2,337,119	$	29.49	6.6	yrs.	$	43,371,603
Stock Option Shares exercisable at end of period	1,107,468	$	17.51	4.7	yrs.	$	34,371,603

Summary of status of nonvested shares

		Weighted-Average
		Grant Date Fair
Nonvested Stock Option Shares	Shares	Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2019	1,266,312	$	10.83
Granted	352,617		12.19
Vested	(359,278)		6.70
Forfeited	(30,000)		10.75
Nonvested at December 31, 2019	1,229,651	$	12.37

Schedule of stock options granted, vested and exercised

Option valuation assumptions for options granted during each year were as follows (dollars in thousands):

	Year ended December 31,
	2019			2018			2017
Weighted average expected volatility for options granted		30.13	%		32.98	%		35.54	%
Expected dividends		—			—			—
Expected life (in years)
Directors’ plan		3.04			3.04			2.99
Executives plan		5.07			5.07			5.05
Employees plan		4.18			4.12			4.14
Weighted average risk free rate		1.83	%		2.76	%		1.83	%
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of options granted	$	12.19		$	13.52		$	11.92
Total fair value of shares vested	$	2,407		$	2,080		$	1,324
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	$	5,932		$	4,659		$	5,819
Cash received for all stock option exercises	$	4,060		$	2,354		$	5,813
Tax benefit realized from stock awards exercised	$	1,246		$	978		$	2,037

Schedule of stock-based compensation expense

Reported stock-based compensation expense was classified as follows (in thousands):

	For the Year ended December 31,
	2019		2018		2017
Casino	$	205	$	129	$	114
Food and beverage		211		137		92
Hotel		109		66		33
Selling, general and administrative		3,600		2,799		2,005
Total stock-based compensation, before taxes		4,125		3,131		2,244
Tax benefit		(866)		(657)		(785)
Total stock-based compensation, net of tax	$	3,259	$	2,474	$	1,459