‘Cash drain’: Can Primm be revived?

Affinity Gaming has announced the permanent closure of its operations in Primm, Nevada, effective July 4, including Whiskey Pete’s, Buffalo Bill’s, and Primm Valley Resort, along with the Primm Center gas station and Flying J truck stop. The company cited Primm as a ‘significant cash drain and management distraction’ for years, with no potential buyers identified after an exhaustive evaluation. The closures will impact 344 employees and mark the latest blow to Primm, an unincorporated area 40 miles south of the Las Vegas Strip, which has seen two of its hotels shut down in recent years and an outlet mall reduced to a single tenant. Primm’s decline reflects broader challenges, including competition from Las Vegas’ entertainment and casino offerings and California’s tribal casino-resorts, which provide more convenient alternatives. The area’s once-lucrative trio of hotel-casinos sold for $400 million combined at their peak, but the outlet mall, now nearly deserted, and the barricaded casino properties signal a fading relevance. Affinity’s Chief People Officer, Chantelle Mark, confirmed the closures in a letter to Nevada officials but did not specify further reasons beyond the lack of buyers. The shutdowns extend beyond Affinity’s properties, as an apartment complex for local workers and a Lotto store in nearby California are also closing. Real estate broker Rick Hildreth noted the outdated concept of Primm, observing that ‘nobody’s going there’ anymore. Cory Clemetson, president of Primm’s landowner group and grandson of the late Ernie Primm, expressed sadness over the closures, though no immediate plans for redevelopment have been announced. Affinity’s decision underscores the financial strain of maintaining operations in Primm, where declining visitor numbers and shifting consumer preferences have made sustainability difficult. The company’s spokeswoman, Melissa Krantz, emphasized that the closures were a ‘prudent business decision’ after thorough analysis. With only one casino remaining open, the future of Primm hinges on whether redevelopment efforts can reverse its downward trajectory or if the area will continue its slow fade into obscurity.