UnityFirst.com

(AANEWSWIRE)Las Vegas, Nev., Oct. 31, 2006—Ameristar Casinos, Inc. (Nasdaq-GS: ASCA) announced today that Carl Brooks has been elected as a member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Brooks is President and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council and The Executive Leadership Foundation in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1986, The Executive Leadership Council is the nation’s premier leadership organization of African-American senior executives in Fortune 500 companies. Since joining the organization in 2001, Mr. Brooks has provided strategic direction that has led to increased membership and a realignment of programs to help create a comprehensive inclusive pipeline that develops senior corporate leaders. He has also been instrumental in establishing fiscal policies that have solidified the organization's financial position while securing millions of dollars in new funding.

Ameristar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Craig H. Neilsen said of the election: “I am very pleased that Carl is joining Ameristar’s Board. His many years of executive leadership will bring additional strategic guidance to our Board, particularly as we continue to expand our commitment to diversity and inclusion at Ameristar.”

Prior to joining The Executive Leadership Council, Mr. Brooks had a distinguished career of 25 years in the utility industry. He was Vice President, Human & Technical Resources of GPU Energy in Reading, Penn., one of the largest publicly traded electric utilities in the United States, where he was responsible for the business process that provided the people, services, materials and technology that enabled the success of GPU Energy's infrastructure business. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer of GENCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of GPU, where he helped reorganize the company and build an asset portfolio of more than $3.5 billion. In addition, he was Chairman of the GPU Diversity Action Council, which developed and implemented GPU's diversity strategy, winning the Edison Electric Institute Award for Diversity.

Mr. Brooks is a Cum Laude graduate of Hampton Institute and holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University, with honors. He was also awarded an Honorary Degree of Humane Letters by Richmond Virginia Seminary. He is a graduate of the Tuck Executive Program (President Program) at Dartmouth College.

Mr. Brooks serves on the DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Diversity Council. He is Vice-Chair of both the Board of Directors of Howard University’s School of Business and Hampton University’s Board of Advisors. He previously served on the GPU Energy/GENCO Board.

Mr. Brooks is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the National Black MBA Association and the National Urban League's Best Diversity
Practices Study Advisory Council. He also served as the Honorary Chair of the 35th Anniversary of the School of Business, Howard University and was a 2004 recipient of the EEOC's Spirit of Partnership Award.

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 market share 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 in Black Hawk, Colorado (Denver metropolitan area); and Cactus Petes and the Horseshu in Jackpot, Nevada (Idaho and the Pacific Northwest).
###
Visit Ameristar Casinos’ Web site at www.ameristar.com
(which shall not be deemed to be incorporated in or a part of this news release).

NOTE FROM AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSWIRE: If you run this article, please forward the hard copy news clip or an web address for where the article is posted on the Internet. Send the clips to: African American Newswire, P.O. Box 80837, Springfield, MA 01138 or forward via email, to jfondon@unityfirst.com All participating publishers will be recognized for their great work. Also, to be included on African American Newswire's preferred list for advertisers, we invite you to send your publication to us on a regular basis. Please call Janine Fondon, if you have questons: 800-286-3659.