Ownership Submission
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

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(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HODGES LARRY
  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)
President, COO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
3773 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY, SUITE 490S
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/13/2013
(Street)

LAS VEGAS, NV 89169
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction 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
Common Stock 08/13/2013   D   103,797 D $ 26.5 (1) 0 D  
Common Stock 08/13/2013   D   134,786 D $ 26.5 (2) 0 I Family LLC (3)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction 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
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(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) $ 12.57 08/13/2013   D     41,775   (4) 07/25/2018 Common Stock 41,775 $ 13.93 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 15.62 08/13/2013   D     44,400   (4) 07/30/2020 Common Stock 44,400 $ 10.88 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 15.765 08/13/2013   D     15,000   (4) 07/16/2014 Common Stock 15,000 $ 10.735 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 16.68 08/13/2013   D     115,830   (4) 07/25/2022 Common Stock 115,830 $ 9.82 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 17.62 08/13/2013   D     210,681   (4) 11/21/2021 Common Stock 210,681 $ 8.88 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 20.935 08/13/2013   D     13,200   (4) 06/09/2016 Common Stock 13,200 $ 5.565 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 22.09 08/13/2013   D     43,990   (4) 07/29/2021 Common Stock 43,990 $ 4.41 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 18.62 08/13/2013   D     43,030   (4) 07/31/2019 Common Stock 43,030 $ 7.88 0 I Family LLC (3) (5)

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
HODGES LARRY
3773 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY
SUITE 490S
LAS VEGAS, NV 89169
  X     President, COO  

Signatures

 /s/ Gregory H. Cooper, Attorney-in-Fact   08/15/2013
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* 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).
(1) Pursuant to the terms of the issuer's applicable stock incentive plans and the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger") among the issuer, Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc., and certain affiliates of Pinnacle, vesting of restricted stock units included in these securities (if not already vested) was accelerated and such units were cancelled in the Merger in exchange for a cash payment equal to $26.50, the price payable by the acquirer in the Merger (the "Merger Price") for each share receivable in respect of such units.
(2) Pursuant to the Merger, all outstanding shares of common stock of the issuer were cancelled in exchange for the right to receive the Merger Price in cash.
(3) Securities owned by Branshan, LLC, a limited liability company owned by a trust for the benefit of Mr. Hodges' immediate family and of which Mr. Hodges is the sole trustee.
(4) Pursuant to the issuer's applicable stock incentive plans and the terms of the Merger, vesting of these options (if not already vested) was accelerated and such options were cancelled in the Merger in exchange for a cash payment, per share, equal to the difference between the Merger Price and the exercise price of the option.
(5) Options were previously reported as indirectly owned by The Larry Hodges Family Trust and were gifted to Branshan, LLC on July 9, 2013.

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