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Possible competition from casinos in Sugar Creek and in Kansas prompted Ameristar Casinos Inc. officials to scrap plans for an expansion at its Kansas City property that would have cost at least $100 million, a company spokeswoman said Friday.

“We think the Kansas City market is a terrific market, and we’re still committed to it,” Ameristar spokeswoman Karen Lynn said from the company’s headquarters in Las Vegas. “It doesn’t mean in the future we won’t consider expansion in the Kansas City market.”

Ameristar Casinos (Nasdaq: ASCA) took a $4.5 million impairment charge in the fourth quarter for costs related to planning the expansion, Lynn said.

Plans had included building a second hotel tower, a convention center, a spa and a pool, Lynn said.

On Wednesday, the Missouri Gaming Commission voted 5-0 to allow applications for a gaming license for a casino in Sugar Creek. The commission will take applications until March 11.

Des Moines-based Wild Rose Entertainment is the only applicant for a Sugar Creek casino license, a commission spokeswoman said Wednesday.

On the Kansas side, Wyandotte County awaits a decision about where the state will locate a state-owned, privately run casino.

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The Edwardsville Planning Commission has rescheduled a public hearing for a $750 million casino proposed by the Las Vegas Sands Corp.

The Planning Commission met Wednesday to consider the proposal for a casino south of Kansas Speedway, but decided to postpone the hearing because two owners of property located within 200 feet of the site were not notified in time, City Administrator Michael Webb said.

The new hearing was scheduled for 7 p.m. March 13 at the Edwardsville Community Center, 696 S. 3rd St.

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Online casino favourite, Blackjack Ballroom, has announced its highest ever progressive poker jackpot, with the winner taking home a whopping $309,766.

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Casino Operators Trade Mostly Lower As MGM Profit Jumps, Ameristar Cautious on Outlook.

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Shares of casino operators traded mostly lower Thursday as MGM Mirage reported a sharply higher fourth-quarter profit but Ameristar Casinos Inc. worried investors with its cautious outlook for the first half of 2008.

Earlier in the day Las Vegas-based MGM Mirage said its fourth-quarter net income surged to $2.85 per share, mostly on a gain related to its CityCenter project. Earnings from continuing operations leaped to $2.85 per share from 68 cents per share.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected a profit of 55 cents per share.

Last night Ameristar, also based in Las Vegas, said it expects the first half of 2008 will be a period of tough same-store, year-over-year comparisons. It did not release a specific forecast.

However, Lawrence Klatzkin of Jefferies & Co. said in a client note Ameristar has a “bright” long-term future as it is a buyout target and has six projects in development. He reiterated a “Buy” rating, but reduced his price target to $28 from $31.

Here’s how some casino operators performed on Thursday:

MGM Mirage fell 25 cents to $64.34.

Ameristar Casinos fell $1.32, or 6.3 percent, to $19.63.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. fell $1.59 to $85.76.

Wynn Resorts Ltd. fell $4.84, or 4.5 percent, to $102.36.

Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. fell 8 cents to $4.06. 

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