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 * RICHARDSON J WILLIAM   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 _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (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   23,620 D $ 26.5 (1) (2) 0 D   Common Stock 08/13/2013   D   825 D $ 26.5 (2) 0 I Family LLC (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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)	$ 22.09	08/13/2013		D			3,750	(4)	07/29/2021	Common Stock	3,750	$ 4.41	0	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy)	$ 20.94	08/13/2013		D			13,200	(4)	06/09/2016	Common Stock	13,200	$ 5.56	0	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy)	$ 18.62	08/13/2013		D			3,750	(4)	07/31/2019	Common Stock	3,750	$ 7.88	0	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy)	$ 17.23	08/13/2013		D			7,500	(4)	06/20/2018	Common Stock	7,500	$ 9.27	0	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy)	$ 16.68	08/13/2013		D			8,210	(4)	07/25/2022	Common Stock	8,210	$ 9.82	0	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy)	$ 15.765	08/13/2013		D			15,000	(4)	07/16/2014	Common Stock	15,000	$ 10.735	0	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy)	$ 15.62	08/13/2013		D			3,750	(4)	07/30/2020	Common Stock	3,750	$ 10.88	0	D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
RICHARDSON J WILLIAM 3773 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY SUITE 490S LAS VEGAS, NV 89169	X

Signatures

/s/ Peter C. Walsh, Attorney-in-Fact		08/14/2013
**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 Richardson Family, LLC, of which Mr. Richardson is the sole managing member and of which Mr. Richardson's immediate family members are the only other members.
(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.

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