The rate to redeem points for food is now 1000 points per dollar. Previously the rate was 600 points per dollar, a 40% discount.

Boyd Gaming Corp. has completed its acquisition of Ameristar Kansas City from Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.

It's August, so time for more VP down grades-this time on 9/7 DB plays. They just replaced the bar top machines at the Blackjack bar downstairs with fancy new models. Unfortunately they offer 9/6 DB. The machines they replaced were new style slant top bartop.machines they just finished installing a couple of months ago. You can still find 9/7 progressive plays at the Lucky Sevens bar downstairs and the circle bar upstairs on the Lucky Sevens side of the casino. For now anyway... :-(

Updated Player's Club info:
About 2 months ago casino changed their policies with regard to cashback and comps.
VP: cashback rate is .05% ($8 coin in = 1 base point, 250 base points = $1 in cash back).
Slots: CB $4 coin in = 1 base point, 250 base points = $1 in cash back.
They also have a rule now that allows you to turn your comps into cashback at 50% of the comp value.
Comp Ratio may have changed.
The plus side is that Star Club level members get 3x points always, and they have fairly regular promotions that take that to 9, 12, 15 or sometimes even 18x depending on the promotion. At 18x the best paying DB is a theoretical break even game.

The .25 9/7 DB progressives are still there and they have actually added the other bar next to the buffet with .25 9/7 DB machines. So now it is both of the bars next to the buffet and the one circle bar upstairs with .25 9/7 DB progressive. Also on that side they have a group of eight game kings that are tied in to the progressive, alas 9/6 only at the sit down tie ins though but it makes the progressive rise much faster for us 9/7 players. Also I made an interesting discovery. There is a one line of .25/.50/$1 MD/MG Game Kings near the upstairs cashier that has 9/6 DDB on all of those denominations. No progressive on those, but I thought that was still a move in the right direction. Their VP inventory has actually improved in the last couple of months for the first time in years. Their comp policies are a joke for VP players, and are roughly 25% of what they were when Station owned them, but at least the games are getting better.

*** MIA - *** (2) 25c (5 Play) with NSUD, 9/6 JoB and 8/5 BP on wall near buffet.

All Pick'Em have been downgraded to 95% games.

The 9/7 DB progressive .25 machines are still at the south circle bar upstairs, and the south bar of the two bars nearest the buffet.

The database shows three 9/6 JOB in dollars in the high-limit area. This report contradicts the earlier report in December when they were downgraded. As of yesterday, they were still 9/5 JOB. I think someone may have seen 9 for the fullhouse but did not look at the rest of the paytable.

There are actually 20 25c Pick 'Ems in Game Makers (four banks of five machines each) near the Promotions booth, not 10. In addition, there are 4 $1 Pick 'Ems in Game Makers (two banks of two machines each), again near the Promotions booth.

Ameristar KC has removed the 10 play nickel machines upstairs with good pay tables. A bank of the 100 play were out of service and I assume they will soon be gone as well.

Ameristar has several (as in 20+) 9/6 machines in 25 cent five play and have 8 or 10 five cent machines in ten play. They also have three $1 three play in the high-limit area.

There are TEN 100-play 1c/2c/5c machines (I love these things!). There are EIGHT 10-play 5c machines. There are THREE 50-play machines, probably 1c/2c/5c.

Overnight (yes we were there yesterday and today) Ameristar, Kansas City, downgraded all VP machines in the high-limit area. The $1 3-play/5-play uprights are now 9/5 for JoB, 7/5 for Bonus, and Ugly Ducks. The $5 JoB progressives are downgraded to 8/5. I strongly suspect this move was to bleed more from the New Year weekend visitors but doubt seriously they will be upgraded after the holiday is over. As of this afternoon the full pay 5-play quarter machines in the kiosks were still intact.

Ameristar has 25c/50c 9/6 JoB again, in the old location near the craps tables.