Craig H. Nielsen, Chairman, CEO, and majority shareholder of Ameristar Casinos, Inc. passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on November 19 at his home in Las Vegas. He is survived by his son Ray and stepdaughters Jaime and Amanda.

Mr. Neilsen was born in 1941 in Logan, Utah. He served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ameristar since the Company's inception in 1993. Prior to that time, Mr. Neilsen led the privately held casino hotel organization consisting of Cactus Petes Resort Casino and The Horseshu. These two original properties, with a 50-year history, created the foundation for the current Ameristar business. Under Mr. Neilsen's guidance, the Company has grown to seven properties in Nevada, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, and Colorado.

Mr. Neilsen was an executive in gaming, real estate development and construction for more than four decades. Prior to focusing his efforts on Ameristar, his real estate development and construction firm, Neilsen & Company, was the largest and most successful in Southern Idaho.

Mr. Neilsen's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree from Utah State University, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah. In 2002, he was honored as "Best Performing CEO" by the American Gaming Association, and in 2005 he was inducted into the American Gaming Association's Gaming Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was named Outstanding Business Leader by the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. Mr. Neilsen served on the Board of the American Gaming Association.

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"You gonna bark all day, little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" - Mr. Blonde from Reservoir Dogs

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like he led an interesting and fulfilling life, though.

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"If you aren't going all the way, why go at all?" Joe Namath