ASCA A SPAC I Acquisition Corporation

Ameristar Casinos Declares 2-for-1 Stock Split LAS VEGAS, May 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ameristar Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASCA) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a 2-for-1 split of the Company's common stock, effective at the close of business on June 6, 2005. One additional share of the Company's common stock will be distributed on June 20, 2005 for each share of common stock held by stockholders of record as of the close of business on June 6, 2005. As a result of the stock split, the number of issued and outstanding shares of the Company's common stock will increase to approximately 55.6 million, and the number of authorized shares of common stock will increase to 120 million. "We believe the stock split will increase the liquidity of our shares and make them attractive to a broader range of investors," said Craig H. Neilsen, Chairman and CEO. "The Board's decision to declare a stock split also recognizes our strong financial performance and the growth opportunities that we are pursuing." Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain forward-looking information that generally can be identified by the context of the statement or the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "intends," "expects," "plans," "is confident that" or words of similar meaning, with reference to Ameristar or our management. Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives, strategies, financial results or position, operational expectations or goals are forward-looking statements. It is possible that our expectations may not be met due to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, and we therefore cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. For a discussion of relevant factors, risks and uncertainties that could materially affect our future results, attention is directed to "Item 1. Business - Risk Factors" and "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004. About Ameristar Ameristar Casinos, Inc. is a leading Las Vegas-based gaming and entertainment company known for its premier properties characterized by innovative architecture, state-of-the-art casino floors and superior dining, lodging and entertainment offerings. Ameristar's focus on the total entertainment experience and the highest quality guest service has earned it a leading market share position in each of the six markets in which it operates. Founded in 1954 in Jackpot, Nevada, Ameristar has been a public company since November 1993. The company has a portfolio of seven casinos in six markets: Ameristar St. Charles (greater St. Louis); Ameristar Kansas City; Ameristar Council Bluffs (Omaha, Nebraska and southwestern Iowa); Ameristar Vicksburg (Jackson, Mississippi and Monroe, Louisiana); Mountain High Casino Black Hawk (greater Denver, Colorado); and Cactus Petes and the Horseshu in Jackpot, Nevada (Idaho and the Pacific Northwest). Visit Ameristar Casinos' Web site at http://www.ameristar.com/ (which shall not be deemed to be incorporated in or a part of this news release). http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040930/LATH017LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Ameristar Casinos, Inc. CONTACT: Tom Steinbauer, Senior Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer of Ameristar Casinos, Inc., +1-702-567-7000 Web site: http://www.ameristar.com/

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