Mad scramble underway near Vegas to save casino resort ghost town from total collapse

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The family behind Primm Valley Resorts says it is working to revive thefading Nevada gambling hubafter mass closure announcements sparked fears that it’s about to become a ghost town.

Primm has long been viewed as amore affordable alternative to Las Vegas.It offers cheaper hotel rooms and lower-stakes gambling just across the Nevada border.

But Primm’s last casino hotel, Primm Valley Resort &Casino, is scheduled to close on July 4.That closure would put 344 people out of work, according to.

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Cory Clemetson, president of Primm’s landowner group and grandson of town city founder Ernie Primm, strongly criticized the decision.

“If the Primm properties go dark, so does the welcome they have provided over the decades,�

A blue sign advertising the Primm Valley Casino Resorts stands against a bright blue sky.

The Primm Valley Casino Resorts in Nevada are set to close 624 hotel rooms and suites this summer.(iStock)

“It is contrary to our values to let that happen without exploring all options,” he said.

Clemetson added that he and his family are working “tirelessly” to explore ways to revive the Primm properties.

“[We are] fully understanding theiriconic place in our geography, and in our hearts,” he said.

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“Be assured that we’re working toward a revitalized Primm and a return to better days,” Clemetson said.

He also lamented the loss of jobs for “hard-working employees” and argued the operators “could have done more to make these properties successful.”

The Nevada town became known for casino resorts, outlet shopping and attractions that once drew heavy tourist traffic.(Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal)/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“The news is especially distressing to the hundreds of hard-working employees and residents who live and work in Primm,” the statement read.

“They are now faced with theprospect of losing their jobsand, in many cases, being displaced from their homes.”

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The closures were announced by casino operator Affinity Interactive and its principal owner, New York-based private equity firm Z Capital, which has leased and operated the Primm properties for nearly 15 years.

“It is contrary to our values to let that happen without exploring all options.”

The first two casinohotelsto shut down — Whiskey Pete’s and Buffalo Bill’s Resort &Casino — closed in December 2024 and scaled back to special-event operations in July 2025, respectively.

com/travel/las-vegas-tourism-crashes-early-2000s-levels-visitors-flee-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped substantially during COVIDand never fully recovered.

A roller coaster stands in front of Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill’s Resort &Casino, pictured here, was the second of Primm’s three casinos to close, only opening for special events as of July 2025.(Paul Gerrard/Getty Images)

“In Nevada, we have a lot of old mining towns where, when the boom ended, or they had used up whatever precious metal they were looking for, everybody cleared out,” he said.

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“Primm, I think, could end up being the firstgambling ghost town.“

Primm has seen “a slow decline” in the past 15 to 20 years, said Amanda Belarmino, an associate professor of hospitality at UNLV.

The closure of Primm Valley Resort &Casino will eliminate hundreds of hotel rooms, gaming machines and entertainment space.(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

She added, “A lot of people used to stop there just because they were so excited to … gamble once they got over the border.But since casinos are more readily accessible, Primm lost some of that appeal.”

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