FORM 4
[ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).         
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
                                                                                  
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: November 30, 2011
Estimated average burden
hours per response... 0.5
                      
Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
                      

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

STEINBAUER THOMAS M 		2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

AMERISTAR CASINOS INC [ ASCA ] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

__ X __ Director                      _____ 10% Owner
__ X __ Officer (give title below)      _____ Other (specify below)
Senior V.P. of Finance, CFO
(Last)          (First)          (Middle)

3773 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY, SUITE 490S 		3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY)

11/21/2011
(Street)

LAS VEGAS, NV 89169
(City)        (State)        (Zip)
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Trans. Date 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 3. Trans. Code
(Instr. 8) 		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 		5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4) 		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Trans. Date 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 4. Trans. Code
(Instr. 8) 		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 3 and 4) 		8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5) 		9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)   $17.62   11/21/2011     A      133656         (1) (2) 11/21/2021   Common Stock   133656   (3) $ 0   133656   D    

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)  Vesting is contingent on service through December 31, 2015, or a qualifying termination of service on or after January 1, 2015, in which case vesting may be proportionate to the period of service (the "Service Requirement").
( 2)  Subject to satisfaction of the Service Requirement, the option becomes exercisable, if at all, (a) in tranches of 52,366, 40,125 and 41,165 shares if the average of the closing prices of the Issuer's common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market over 30 consecutive trading days equals or exceeds $41.00, $46.00 and $51.00, respectively, by December 31, 2018, or (b) in its entirety if the total shareholder return (assuming reinvestment of dividends) on the Issuer's common stock is positive and exceeds that of each of four specified publicly traded peer companies over the period from the date of grant through December 31, 2018.
( 3)  In the event that, at the time of exercise, the fair market value per share of the Issuer's common stock exceeds the exercise price of the option by more than $55.00, the number of shares delivered upon exercise of the option shall be reduced to effectively limit the maximum gain to the option holder to $55.00 per share on the number of shares for which the option was originally granted.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address
Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
STEINBAUER THOMAS M
3773 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY
SUITE 490S
LAS VEGAS, NV 89169 		X
Senior V.P. of Finance, CFO

Signatures
/s/ Peter C. Walsh, Attorney-in-Fact 11/22/2011
** Signature of Reporting Person Date


Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.
A SPAC I Acquisition (NASDAQ:ASCA)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024 Click Here for more A SPAC I Acquisition Charts.
A SPAC I Acquisition (NASDAQ:ASCA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024 Click Here for more A SPAC I Acquisition Charts.