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<P style="font-size: 14pt" align="center"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>
<FONT
style="font-size: 12pt">Washington, D.C. 20549 </FONT></B>

<P style="font-size: 18pt" align="center"><B>FORM 8-K</B>

<P style="font-size: 12pt" align="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT<BR>
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 24, 2009</B>

<P style="font-size: 24pt" align="center"><B>PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.<BR>
</B><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter) </FONT>
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  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
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  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>001-13641</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>95-3667491</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Commission File Number)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(IRS Employer Identification No.)</TD>
 </TR>

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  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
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  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>3800 Howard Hughes Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada<BR>
</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>89169</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Zip Code)</TD>
 </TR>

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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number, including area code: <B>(702)
784-7777</B>
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  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap><B>N/A<BR>
</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD nowrap>(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))<BR>



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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><B>Item&nbsp;5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of
Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">(e)

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 3%" align="left">On March&nbsp;24 and March&nbsp;26, 2009, the Compensation
Committee and the Board of Directors of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) approved the
performance award for Daniel R. Lee, the Company&#8217;s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, for 2009 in
lieu of a bonus under Mr.&nbsp;Lee&#8217;s employment agreement for 2009. Pursuant to the performance award,
Mr.&nbsp;Lee is entitled to earn a bonus equal to 1.25% of the Company&#8217;s earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation, and amortization (subject to adjustments contemplated in the Company&#8217;s 2005 Equity and Performance
Incentive Plan, as amended) (&#8220;Adjusted Plan EBITDA&#8221;) but not to exceed the lesser of: (i)&nbsp;175% of his
annual base salary; or (ii)&nbsp;the amount determined based on the achievement of specified Adjusted Plan EBITDA
targets up to 100% of his annual salary and other leadership and development goals established by the Compensation
Committee up to 75% of his annual salary. The performance award was granted under the Company&#8217;s 2005 Equity and
Performance Incentive Plan, as amended.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 3%" align="left">The Company contemplates that Mr.&nbsp;Lee&#8217;s performance
award and the bonus paid thereunder will qualify as &#8220;performance-based&#8221; compensation under
Section&nbsp;162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>SIGNATURE</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 2%" align="left">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized. &nbsp;
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  <TD valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left" colspan="3">PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left" colspan="3">(Registrant)</TD>
</TR>
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  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
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  <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">Date: March&nbsp;30, 2009 </DIV></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">By: </TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">/s/ Stephen H. Capp</TD>
</TR>
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  <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
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</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp; </TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Stephen H. Capp</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp; </TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</TD>
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8-K
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 24, 2009
PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
001-13641
95-3667491
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
3800 Howard Hughes Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada
89169
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(702)
784-7777
N/A
(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of
Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
(e)
On March 24 and March 26, 2009, the Compensation
Committee and the Board of Directors of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (the "Company") approved the
performance award for Daniel R. Lee, the Company's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, for 2009 in
lieu of a bonus under Mr. Lee's employment agreement for 2009. Pursuant to the performance award,
Mr. Lee is entitled to earn a bonus equal to 1.25% of the Company's earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation, and amortization (subject to adjustments contemplated in the Company's 2005 Equity and Performance
Incentive Plan, as amended) ("Adjusted Plan EBITDA") but not to exceed the lesser of: (i) 175% of his
annual base salary; or (ii) the amount determined based on the achievement of specified Adjusted Plan EBITDA
targets up to 100% of his annual salary and other leadership and development goals established by the Compensation
Committee up to 75% of his annual salary. The performance award was granted under the Company's 2005 Equity and
Performance Incentive Plan, as amended.
The Company contemplates that Mr. Lee's performance
award and the bonus paid thereunder will qualify as "performance-based" compensation under
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
(Registrant)
Date: March 30, 2009
By:
/s/ Stephen H. Capp
Stephen H. Capp
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer