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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 11 – Commitments and Contingencies

 

Participation and Revenue Share Agreements

In addition to the space agreements described above in Note 10, Leases, the Company also enters into slot placement contracts in the form of revenue share and participation agreements. Under revenue share agreements, the Company pays the business location a percentage of the gaming revenue generated from the Company’s slots placed at the location, rather than a fixed monthly rental fee. Under participation agreements, the business location holds the applicable gaming license and retains a percentage of the gaming revenue that it generates from the Company’s slots. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the aggregate contingent payments recognized by the Company as gaming expenses under revenue share and participation agreements were $35.5 million and $110.1 million, respectively, including $0.2 million and $0.7 million, respectively, under revenue share and participation agreements with related parties, as described in Note 13, Related Party Transactions. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the aggregate contingent payments recognized by the Company as gaming expenses under revenue share and participation agreements were $35.4 million and $107.0 million, respectively, including $0.3 million and $0.8 million, respectively, under revenue share and participation agreements with related parties.

The Company also enters into amusement device and ATM placement contracts in the form of revenue share agreements. Under these revenue share agreements, the Company pays the business location a percentage of the non-gaming revenue generated from the Company’s amusement devices and ATMs placed at the location. During the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, the total contingent payments recognized by the Company as other operating expenses for amusement devices and ATMs under such agreements were $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, the total contingent payments recognized by the Company as other operating expenses for amusement devices and ATMs under such agreements were $1.1 million and $1.0 million, respectively.

Capital Lease Financing Agreement

In June 2018 the Company entered into a capital lease financing arrangement for external and internal lighting and renovations at the Stratosphere. Construction commenced in the third quarter of 2018 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2019. The total amount to be paid is $9.6 million, of which $8.5 million will be financed over a 36-month period.

Miscellaneous Legal Matters

From time to time, the Company is involved in a variety of lawsuits, claims, investigations and other legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, including proceedings concerning labor and employment matters, personal injury claims, breach of contract claims, commercial disputes, business practices, intellectual property, tax and other matters for which the Company has recorded reserves of $1.7 million for claims as of September 30, 2018. Although lawsuits, claims, investigations and other legal proceedings are inherently uncertain and their results cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company believes that the resolution of its currently pending matters should not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Regardless of the outcome, legal proceedings can have an adverse impact on the Company because of defense costs, diversion of management resources and other factors. In addition, it is possible that an unfavorable resolution of one or more such proceedings could in the future materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity in a particular period.

In February and April 2017, several former employees filed two separate purported class action lawsuits against the Company in the District Court of Clark County, Nevada, and on behalf of similarly situated individuals employed by the Company in the State of Nevada. The lawsuits allege that the Company violated certain Nevada labor laws including payment of an hourly wage below the statutory minimum wage without providing a qualified health insurance plan and an associated failure to pay proper overtime compensation. The complaints seek, on behalf of the plaintiffs and members of the putative class, an unspecified amount of damages (including punitive damages), injunctive and equitable relief, and an award of attorneys’ fees, interest and costs. The Company agreed to settle the first of these cases in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the second of these cases in the third quarter of 2018. Both settlements are subject to court approval and are included in the Company’s recorded reserves of $1.7 million at September 30, 2018.

On August 31, 2018, prior guests of the Stratosphere filed a purported class action complaint against the Company in the District Court, Clark County, Nevada, on behalf of similarly situated individuals and entities that paid the Clark County Combined Transient Lodging Tax (“Tax”) on the portion of a resort fee that constitutes charges for Internet access, during the period of February 6, 2014 through the date the alleged conduct ceases. The lawsuit alleges that the Tax was charged in violation of the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, which imposes a national moratorium on the taxation of Internet access by states and their political subdivisions, and seeks, on behalf of the plaintiff and the putative class, damages equal to the amount of the Tax collected on the Internet access component of the resort fee, injunctive relief, disgorgement, interest, fees and costs. The Company has not yet been served on this complaint.

While legal proceedings are inherently unpredictable and no assurance can be given as to the ultimate outcome of any of the above matters, based on management’s current understanding of the relevant facts and circumstances, the Company believes that these proceedings should not have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.