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Lakes Entertainment reports results

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:LACO) today announced results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 ("2006"). Revenue for the year totaled $29.9 million compared to $18.2 million for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2006 ("2005"). Earnings from operations were $34.2 million for 2006 compared to a loss from operations of $16.5 million for 2005. Net earnings for the year were $20.9 million and basic and diluted earnings were $0.92 per share and $0.85 per share, respectively. This compares with a net loss of $11.9 million, and basic and diluted losses of $0.53 per share in 2005.

Revenues for both years were derived primarily from the operations of Lakes' majority-owned subsidiary, WPT Enterprises, Inc. ("WPTE"), primarily from television license fees related to the World Poker Tour ("WPT") television series. The increase in revenues during 2006 was primarily due to the delivery of 24 episodes of the Professional Poker Tour ("PPT") television series in 2006 versus no episodes of the PPT delivered in 2005, combined with the delivery of 21 episodes of the WPT television series in 2006 compared to 18 episodes in 2005. Other increases in WPTE online gaming and event hosting and sponsorship were partially offset by a decline in product licensing revenue.

Net unrealized gains on notes receivable were $51.7 million and $5.2 million for 2006 and 2005, respectively. These net unrealized gains related primarily to the Company's notes receivable from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians ("Pokagon Band") and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians ("Shingle Springs Tribe") which are adjusted to estimated fair value based upon the current status of the related tribal casino projects.

Of the $51.7 million in net unrealized gains on notes receivable during 2006, approximately $36.0 million was related to the casino development project with the Pokagon Band. The unrealized gains on the Pokagon notes receivable resulted from a combination of favorable events occurring during 2006, including the National Indian Gaming Commission's approval of the management contract between Lakes and the Pokagon Band. Additionally, an affiliate of the Pokagon Band closed on a $305 million senior note financing in addition to a $75 million financing commitment for furniture, furnishings and equipment to fund the Four Winds Casino Resort project. Construction on this project also began during June of 2006. All of these events increased the probability of opening of the project and contributed to an increase in fair value of the Pokagon notes receivable which resulted in unrealized gains on notes receivable related to this project of approximately $20.0 million through the end of the third quarter of 2006.

In addition, as previously announced, during March of 2007 Lakes contracted with a group of investors for their participation in the loans made by Lakes to the Pokagon Band (and assumed by the Pokagon Gaming Authority) at an agreed upon price of 98% of the face value of the loans as of the settlement date. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2006, the Pokagon notes receivable were adjusted to the negotiated participation price which resulted in unrealized gains of approximately $16.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2006. This participation arrangement will be accounted for as a sale during 2007; however, the sale will not have any effect on Lakes' management agreement for the Pokagon casino resort project.

Also contributing to unrealized gains on notes receivable during 2006 were unrealized gains related to the casino development project with the Shingle Springs Tribe, near Sacramento, California. These gains of approximately $11.6 million were primarily related to favorable events occurring during 2006 which increased the estimated probability of opening of the project. Most notably, during September of 2006, the Shingle Springs Tribe reached an agreement with El Dorado County ("the County") that will provide the County with certain funding from the planned Shingle Springs Tribe casino operations. In exchange, the County agreed to seek dismissal of all of its existing litigation against the Shingle Springs Tribe and formally support the Shingle Springs Tribe interchange and casino projects. In November of 2006, the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento ("Court") issued its decision upholding the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report pertaining to the California Department of Transportation's ("CalTrans") proposed interchange that will connect Highway 50 to the Shingle Springs Tribe's Rancheria. The Court's decision effectively dismissed the Voices for Rural Living ("VRL") lawsuit against CalTrans, the Shingle Springs Tribe and Lakes Entertainment, Inc. VRL has filed an appeal. The Court denied VRL's request to stay the project, and on March 2, 2007, the Appeals Court denied VRL's motion which sought to delay the project until VRL's appeal is heard.

Based on recent meetings between the Jamul Indian Village ("Jamul Tribe") and the State of California, Lakes and the Jamul Tribe are currently re-evaluating the Jamul Tribe's alternatives for its casino project. Depending on which direction Lakes and the Jamul Tribe decide to take, the proposed gaming facility will be reduced in size and scope. As a result, during the fourth quarter of 2006, Lakes recorded unrealized losses on notes receivable related to the Jamul project of approximately $6.3 million, which reduced the overall 2006 net unrealized gain on notes receivable related to this project to approximately $2.0 million.

The remainder of the net unrealized gains on notes receivable consisted of unrealized gains related to the 2006 settlement with the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas ("Kickapoo Tribe") in the amount of approximately $6.2 million and net unrealized losses of approximately $4.2 million as a result of the decrease in fair value of notes receivable due to the decreased probability of opening of two casino development projects with the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.

During fiscal 2005, the net unrealized gains of $5.2 million included unrealized gains of approximately $11.4 million related primarily to increased probability of opening related to the casino development projects with the Pokagon Band and the Jamul Tribe.

These unrealized gains were partially offset by unrealized losses of approximately $6.2 million primarily related to the termination of the agreement with the Kickapoo Tribe.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $35.2 million in 2006 compared to $28.6 million in 2005. The increase was primarily due to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, ("SFAS 123®"), which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees and directors including stock options based on estimated fair values. For 2006, the share-based compensation expense recognized under SFAS 123® related to employee and director stock options was approximately $6.2 million, of which approximately $3.5 million related to WPTE and $2.7 million related to Lakes. Pursuant to accounting guidance in effect during 2005, there was no share-based compensation expense related to employee and director stock options and stock purchases recognized during that time period. Additional headcount and related costs also contributed to the increase in general and administrative expenses. These increased costs were partially offset by decreased sales and marketing expenses as a result of reduced online gaming marketing efforts and lower commissions paid to WPTE's third-party licensing agent for consumer product licensing.

During 2006, WPTE sold its ownership interest in PokerTek, Inc., resulting in a realized gain on sale of investments of approximately $10.2 million.

In June of 2006, Lakes closed on a previously announced $105 million credit agreement. Approximately $25 million of the proceeds from the credit agreement were used to repay in full Lakes' February 16, 2006 financing facility with an affiliate of Prentice Capital Management, LP ("PLKS"). As a result of the PLKS debt repayment, the remaining unamortized portion of closing costs and warrants were included as part of the $6.8 million loss on extinguishment of debt. In March 2007, the $105 million credit agreement was repaid in conjunction with the Pokagon notes receivable participation transaction discussed above.

The income tax provision was $8.2 million in 2006 compared to an income tax benefit of $1.2 million in 2005. The 2006 provision relates primarily to WPTE positive taxable income for 2006, as well as amounts related to the ongoing Internal Revenue Service examination of Lakes' income tax returns.

Lyle Berman, Chief Executive Officer of Lakes stated, "We are very proud to be managing the Cimarron Casino on behalf of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and we are very pleased with the progress of construction at the Four Winds Casino in Michigan, which continues to be on schedule and within budget. We are looking forward to the planned August 2007 opening of this project."

Tim Cope, President and Chief Financial Officer of Lakes stated, "The agreement reached during 2006 between the Shingle Springs Tribe and El Dorado County was a significant positive step toward the start of construction of that project, and we look forward to obtaining the remaining approvals related to this project so that construction can soon begin." Mr. Cope continued, "As a result of the recent Pokagon notes receivable participation transaction we were able to pay off our $105 million credit agreement. Lakes is now in a debt-free position, which will give our Company more flexibility in the future to meet additional capital needs."

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