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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-09-036614.txt : 20090817
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-09-036614.hdr.sgml : 20090817
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090604113649
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-09-036614
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090604

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MONARCH CASINO & RESORT INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000907242
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-MISCELLANEOUS AMUSEMENT & RECREATION [7990]
		IRS NUMBER:				880300760
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NV
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3800 S VIRGINIA STREET
		STREET 2:		EXECUTIVE OFFICES
		CITY:			RENO
		STATE:			NV
		ZIP:			89502
		BUSINESS PHONE:		775-335-4600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3800 S VIRGINIA STREET
		STREET 2:		EXECUTIVE OFFICES
		CITY:			RENO
		STATE:			NV
		ZIP:			89502
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>

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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">June&nbsp;4,
2009</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">VIA
EDGAR FILING</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Max
Webb</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Assistant
Director</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">United
States</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Securities
and Exchange Commission</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington,
D.C., 20549</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">RE:&#160; Monarch Casino&nbsp;&amp; Resort,&nbsp;Inc.
(the &#147;Company&#148;), file No.&nbsp;000-22088, comments on Form&nbsp;10-K for the
fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2008 and Definitive Proxy Statement on
Schedule 14A.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear
Mr.&nbsp;Webb:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We
are responding to the Securities and Exchange Commission&#146;s comment in response
to our letter dated May&nbsp;15, 2009.&#160;
Set forth below is the comment from your letter dated May&nbsp;27, 2009
and our response.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We
acknowledge that we are responsible for the accuracy and adequacy of the
disclosures in the filing.&#160; We further
acknowledge that the Commission&#146;s staff comments or changes to disclosures in
response to their comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any
action with respect to the filing.&#160; We
know that we may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding
initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of
the United States.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Definitive
Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A</font></u></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Compensation
Elements, page</font></u></b><b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;8</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">We note
your response to prior comment 15; however, the casual connection between the
disclosure of your EBITDA target and any competitive harm is unclear.&#160; If you believe that your performance targets
may be omitted due to the risk of competitive harm, please provide additional
detailed analysis in support of this conclusion.&#160; We request that you address, with greater
specificity, how the disclosure of historical EBITDA targets might allow your
competitors to extrapolate sensitive information about the company&#146;s operating
metrics.&#160; Please describe how performance
targets for the company, along with the company&#146;s other publicly available
information, might allow your competitors to acquire information relating to
your past or present business plan or provide insight regarding your business
strategies.&#160; Provide us with analysis
relating to how a competitor might deconstruct the target numbers to ascertain
confidential commercial or financial information.&#160; Refer to Instruction 4 of Item 401(b)&nbsp;of
Regulation S-K.</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">OUR
RESPONSE: Our annual cash bonus program is awarded if our EBITDA target, as
established by our Board of Directors, is achieved.&#160; The Reno, Nevada gaming market consists of a
small number of large hotel/casinos against whom we compete.&#160; Several of our competitors, including our
largest, are privately held and are therefore not subject to public
disclosure.&#160; </font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
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<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Disclosure
of our EBITDA target would enable our closest competitors to calculate other
operating metrics, and possibly determine various tactical plans, of the
Company.&#160; Detailed operating metrics are
viewed by us to be confidential financial information, the disclosure of which
would result in competitive harm to the Company.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Specifically,
a competitor would have enough information to estimate planned operating
expense levels which in turn could provide insight into the amount we plan to
spend on marketing programs, promotional expenses and staffing.&#160; With that information, a competitor could
obtain competitive advantage by creating marketing, promotional or hiring
programs specifically targeted and designed to gain advantage over us.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We
acknowledge the requirement to disclose the likelihood that the target will be
achieved and the bonus awarded.&#160; In
response to that requirement, we have disclosed the following in the last
sentence of the &#147;Annual Cash Bonus Award&#148; section under Compensation Elements
at page&nbsp;8:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">&#147;Based on the success the management team has had in achieving previous
financial profit and other performance targets, we believe it is likely that
future bonus awards will be paid fully.&#148;</font></i></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">To
provide the reader with greater insight into how the EBITDA target is
established, and to provide more color into the likelihood that we achieve the
target, we propose to modify that disclosure to read as follows:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">&#147;The Board of Directors (the &#147;Board&#148;) sets the EBITDA target at a level
they believe is both challenging and achievable.&#160; By establishing a target that is challenging,
the Board believes that NEO performance, and therefore Company performance, is
maximized.&#160; By setting a target that is
also achievable, the Board believes that NEOs remain motivated to perform at
the high level required to achieve the target.</font></i></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Over the five years ended December&nbsp;31, 2008, the EBITDA target was
achieved each year with the exception of 2008.&#160;
Based on the success the management team has had in achieving previous
financial profit and other performance targets, we believe it is likely that future
bonus awards will be paid fully.&#148;</font></i></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="96%" style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:.25in;width:96.66%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sincerely,</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/S/
  Ronald Rowan</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ronald
  Rowan</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief
  Financial Officer</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="48%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:48.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Monarch
  Casino&nbsp;&amp; Resort,&nbsp;Inc.</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="51%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:51.72%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>

</div>
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