Creating Luxury, All-Suite Rooms and a Fun Destination Resort Experience ST. CHARLES, Mo., June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Executives of Ameristar Casinos, Inc. (Nasdaq-GS: ASCA) celebrated today with guests and community leaders at a Topping Off ceremony for the Ameristar St. Charles new luxury hotel, spa and pool slated to open in December 2007. To commemorate the occasion, guests signed the final steel beam that was then raised to the top of the 25-story hotel tower, signifying that construction has reached its highest point and a significant milestone toward the project's completion has been achieved. When finished, the new $265 million facility will include a 400-room all-suite luxury hotel, a 7,000-square-foot full-service spa, an indoor/outdoor pool area with landscaped grounds and waterfalls and a 2,000-space parking garage. The first phase of the expansion -- with 19,200 square feet of state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities -- opened in September 2006. "Ameristar is committed to creating the highest quality facilities in each of its markets," said John Boushy, CEO and President of Ameristar Casinos. "The new hotel and spa will feature best-in-class service and upscale amenities that will create a luxury destination resort experience for our guests in a fun and friendly environment that fully complements our gaming, dining, conference and entertainment options. Our guests have come to expect the highest quality facilities and outstanding service from Ameristar, and we intend to surpass their expectations once again." Boushy noted that this capital investment in St. Charles is another example of Ameristar's commitment to grow the Company in the next three to five years. "Ameristar continues to work toward its goal of doubling its size as measured by EBITDA through a 50/50 growth strategy. The Company expects approximately half of that growth will come through acquisitions such as the pending agreement to purchase Resorts East Chicago located in the Chicagoland market, and the other half will come through capital improvement projects at existing Ameristar properties," he said. Jim Franke, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Ameristar St. Charles, said, "Today's topping off ceremony is an historic milestone in the completion process and the official countdown to opening the hotel has begun. We are anxious to unveil the luxurious hotel and spa resort to create a guest experience unmatched in the St. Louis area. We are pleased that the community could help us celebrate and that we could provide a glimpse at what is in store with our property. Coupled with our award-winning dining, expansive casino and the new conference and meeting center, this expansion further positions Ameristar St. Charles as the premier destination in the region." Franke noted that the project has created 400 local construction jobs, and the completed hotel and spa will employ 100 new team members. "The addition of this luxury facility in a high-demand market will also increase tax revenue and bring more visitors to St. Charles and other parts of the region," he said. "We are proud to be part of the St. Charles community and bring such a positive project to an area in which we successfully operate and already employ approximately 1,800 team members." Hotel Exterior and Lobby The distinctive design of the hotel and parking garage exterior is indicative of the historic masonry themes of the St. Charles area, but interpreted with a contemporary take. Guests will enter the hotel from a newly refurbished and modern entryway that leads into the hotel lobby. It is predominantly glass with stone floors and walls and includes a "water wall" feature that will introduce sound and atmosphere into the space. Beyond the entrance, the hotel's sweeping two-story lobby will greet guests with scenic views of the Missouri River amid sophisticated luxury. The stunning contemporary but classic chocolate and burgundy-toned decor incorporates plush draperies and premium leather furnishings in intimate seating groups, framed by rich area rugs over marble flooring and lit by the glow of two striking fireplaces. 400 Luxurious Suites The all-suite hotel's 400 oversized rooms will offer some of the metropolitan area's most upscale accommodations. Designed to maximize enjoyment of the building's magnificent surroundings, all suites have been designed with front bedroom entrances to showcase scenic views of the river and St. Charles from the sunken living room. All suites will be dressed in a warm palette of espresso, caramel, ivory and gold. Custom furnishings include full-height leather headboards and geometrically patterned marble stone floor entries. Swimming Pools, Cascading Fountains and Romantic Fire Pits An impressive indoor/outdoor pool, a unique pool deck and a distinctive landscaped area complements the hotel. Guests will be able to swim between the indoor and outdoor pools in two spectacular environments. Surrounded by tranquil fountains, the pool area will also feature indoor and outdoor hot tubs. Adding to the lavish setting, guests can relax in upscale chaise lounges, specialty seating areas and around romantic fire pits. A Tranquil, Relaxing Spa Retreat Also on the pool level guests will find the hotel's full-service spa, which will pamper guests in a tranquil and relaxing water-themed environment featuring blue and green tones and ample architectural use of custom glass and water features. The 7,000-square-foot spa will offer a full menu of traditional and unique signature spa services in six private treatment rooms. 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 1A. 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, 2006 and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2007. About Ameristar Casino St. Charles Ameristar Casino St. Charles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameristar Casinos, Inc., brings the finest gaming and entertainment to the banks of the Missouri River, serving the entire metropolitan St. Louis area from its convenient location just north of the Interstate Highway 70 bridge near historic downtown St. Charles, Missouri. Established in 1994 as the first gaming facility in Missouri, the new Ameristar that opened in 2002 boasts a cobblestone streetscape inspired by the 1880's architecture of the St. Charles River Port District with seven dining and entertainment venues. The streetscape adjoins a 130,000-square-foot casino vessel offering the largest selection of gaming options in the region, including 3,300 slot and video poker machine, 91 games and a 19-table live poker room. 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 position in each of the 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); Ameristar Black Hawk (Denver metropolitan area); and Cactus Petes and The Horseshu in Jackpot, Nevada (Idaho and the Pacific Northwest). In April 2007, Ameristar signed a definitive agreement to purchase Resorts East Chicago, a casino-hotel located in Northwest Indiana, serving the Chicagoland market. This acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2007. 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: Liz Feldman, +1-646-366-1470, , or Jessica Goon, +1-410-986-1315, , both for Ameristar Casinos, Inc. Web site: http://www.ameristar.com/

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