STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

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	2,194,779	$	35.01	—			—
Stock Option Shares granted	429,302		68.34	—			—
Stock Option Shares exercised	(382,716)		27.27	—			—
Stock Option Shares forfeited	(236,666)		40.83	—			—
Stock Option Shares expired	(5,000)		9.80	—			—
Stock Option Shares outstanding at end of period	1,999,699		42.05	6.5	yrs.	$	61,774,500
Stock Option Shares exercisable at end of period	1,028,375	$	29.26	4.6	yrs.	$	45,958,184

Summary of status of nonvested shares

		Weighted-Average
		Grant Date Fair
Nonvested Stock Option Shares	Shares	Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2021	1,177,954	$	14.49
Granted	429,302		26.37
Vested	(399,266)		13.50
Forfeited	(236,666)		16.91
Nonvested at December 31, 2021	971,324	$	19.62

Schedule of stock options granted, vested and exercised

	Year ended December 31,
	2021			2020			2019
Weighted average expected volatility for options granted		45.72	%		40.87	%		30.13	%
Expected life (in years)
Directors’ plan		3.90			3.26			3.04
Executives plan		5.38			5.22			5.07
Employees plan		4.20			4.13			4.18
Weighted average risk-free rate		0.93	%		0.48	%		1.83	%
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of options granted	$	26.37		$	17.33		$	12.19
Total fair value of shares vested	$	5,389		$	3,852		$	2,407
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	$	16,028		$	15,258		$	5,932
Cash received for all stock option exercises	$	10,435		$	7,813		$	4,060
Tax benefit realized from stock awards exercised	$	3,366		$	3,204		$	1,246

Schedule of stock-based compensation expense

Reported stock-based compensation expense was classified as follows (in thousands) and it is included in the Operating expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Income:

	For the Year ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Casino	$	236	$	168	$	205
Food and beverage		125		(26)		211
Hotel		191		127		109
Selling, general and administrative		3,508		3,586		3,600
Total stock-based compensation, before taxes		4,060		3,855		4,125
Tax benefit		(853)		(810)		(866)
Total stock-based compensation, net of tax	$	3,207	$	3,045	$	3,259