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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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 (Month/Day/Year) 10/28/2011 (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

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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

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 21.3

10/28/2011

D(1)

34,848

(1)(2)

12/16/2011

Common Stock

34,848

(1)

4,752

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 22.87

10/28/2011

D(1)

31,733

(1)(3)

12/15/2012

Common Stock

31,733

(1)

4,327

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 31.675

10/28/2011

D(1)

35,834

(1)(4)

12/14/2013

Common Stock

35,834

(1)

4,886

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 21.3

10/28/2011

A(1)

34,848

(1)(2)

12/16/2014

Common Stock

34,848

(1)

34,848

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 22.87

10/28/2011

A(1)

31,733

(1)(3)

12/15/2015

Common Stock

31,733

(1)

31,733

D

Stock Options (Right to Buy)

$ 31.675

10/28/2011

A(1)

35,834

(1)(4)

12/14/2016

Common Stock

35,834

(1)

35,834

D

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		11/01/2011
**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)	The reported transactions involve the amendment of three outstanding options, each amendment resulting in the deemed cancellation of the "old" option to the extent of 88% of the number of shares for which it was exercisable and the grant of a replacement option exercisable for the same number of shares.
(2)	The option being amended was originally granted on December 16, 2004, vested in installments, and fully vested prior to the date of the reported event.
(3)	The option being amended was originally granted on December 15, 2005, vested in installments, and fully vested prior to the date of the reported event.
(4)	The option being amended was originally granted on December 14, 2006, and vested or will vest in five equal, annual installments on each December 13 from 2007 through 2011.

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