LAS VEGAS, NV and SPRINGFIELD, MA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/30/12 -- Ameristar Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASCA) announced today it has decided to terminate its efforts to seek a casino license in western Massachusetts. Although the Company believes it had the superior proposal for a casino in western Massachusetts, the Company concluded that there is not a sufficient likelihood that the basis upon which it could be awarded the license to develop and operate a casino in Springfield is favorable enough to warrant its further pursuit. Specifically, the local selection process, various project requirements and associated costs led to the decision to reserve Ameristar's resources for the Company's growth and diversification for other more attractive opportunities.

Ameristar has not made a determination at this time concerning plans for marketing the 40-acre site it owns on Page Boulevard in Springfield. Ameristar believes this is the single largest commercially developable site in the City of Springfield. The site's size, location and ease of access to major highways make it attractive for a variety of large scale developments in addition to a casino.

"This was a difficult decision that will unfortunately result in us not being able to bring a world-class casino entertainment facility to western Massachusetts. However, I am extremely proud of the efforts of our team members who aggressively pursued this project. We are grateful for the hundreds of meaningful relationships we have built in the Pioneer Valley and the Commonwealth and for the widespread community support we received over the last year while introducing New Englanders to our Company," said Gordon Kanofsky, Ameristar's Chief Executive Officer.

Ameristar will continue its disciplined pursuit of acquisition and development opportunities to grow and diversify the Company that meet its risk and return on investment criteria. Ameristar seeks to maximize long-term shareholder value through the efficient operation of its properties and a balanced approach to debt repayment, dividends, share repurchases and the strategic pursuit of growth opportunities.

About Ameristar

Ameristar Casinos is an innovative casino gaming company featuring the newest and most popular slot machines. Our 7,200 dedicated team members pride themselves on delivering consistently friendly and appreciative service to our guests. We continuously strive to increase the loyalty of our guests through the quality of our slot machines, table games, hotel, dining and other leisure offerings. Our eight casino hotel properties primarily serve guests from Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska and Nevada. We began construction on our ninth property, a casino resort in Lake Charles, La., in July 2012, which we expect will open in the third quarter of 2014. We have been a public company since 1993, and our stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. We generate more than $1 billion in net revenues annually.

Visit Ameristar Casinos' website at www.ameristar.com (which shall not be deemed to be incorporated in or a part of this news release).