Casino boss defends closure of iconic Primm resorts amid backlash from founding family

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The CEO down the institution shutting down a radical of iconic Nevada casino properties has defended the decision, telling gaming regulators the once-popular gambling halt is nary longer financially sustainable.

Primm, Nevada, was erstwhile location to 3 bustling properties agelong viewed arsenic affordable alternatives to Las Vegas, conscionable crossed the California-Nevada border.

This month, it was announced that the past of the 3 hotels, Primm Valley Resort & Casino, is scheduled to adjacent July 4. That closure is expected to destruct 344 jobs, according to Fox 5 Las Vegas.

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Affinity Interactive CEO Scott Butera told the Gaming Control Board connected Thursday that Primm is "just not viable arsenic a casino operation," the Nevada Independent reported.

The enforcement cited ongoing fiscal losses and unsuccessful concern efforts arsenic reasons for the closure.

Aerial presumption of Primm with casinos, hotels, rollercoaster

Primm's remaining casino edifice is acceptable to adjacent July 4, leaving hundreds of workers without jobs. "We've tried galore things here," said a elder executive. (Ethan Miller)

"It’s been losing money, and we’ve been investing a batch of wealth implicit the years to nary avail," Butera said. "We’ve tried galore things there, including gathering a caller motion and caller slot machines."

Butera was pressed by Mike Dreitzer, the Gaming Control Board chair, who told him the committee was monitoring the concern "with sedate interest for the community."

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"This is of captious value to the state, and bully religion is not lone requested, but it's required," said Dreitzer, the Nevada Independent reported.

"We're hoping that we'll person a modulation connected the property, but we are exiting arsenic the tenant."

Butera said Affinity is "working precise intimately with the landlord," and cited a "potential suitor" who mightiness revitalize the property.

"We're hoping that we'll person a modulation connected the property, but we are exiting arsenic the tenant," helium said.

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Affinity Interactive and its main owner, New York-based backstage equity steadfast Z Capital, person leased and operated the Primm properties for astir 15 years.

The closure drew disapproval from the Primm family.

The Nevada municipality was known for casino resorts, outlet buying and attractions that erstwhile drew plentifulness of tourer traffic. (iStock)

Cory Clemetson, president of Primm's landowner radical and grandson of municipality laminitis Ernie Primm, denounced the determination to adjacent successful a connection shared with Fox News Digital.

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"If the Primm properties spell dark, truthful does the invited they person provided implicit the decades," Clemetson said.

"It is contrary to our values to fto that hap without exploring each options," helium said.

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Clemetson added that helium and his household are moving "tirelessly" to research ways to revive the Primm properties.

"Be assured that we’re moving toward a revitalized Primm and a instrumentality to amended days," Clemetson said.

Primm Resort motion with closed announcement successful Nevada desert

The closure of Primm Valley Resort & Casino follows the earlier shutdowns of Whiskey Pete's and Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino. (Ethan Miller)

The archetypal 2 casino hotels to unopen down — Whiskey Pete's and Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino — closed successful December 2024 and scaled backmost to special-event operations successful July 2025.

Primm has seen "a dilatory decline" successful the past 15 to 20 years, an adept told Fox News Digital earlier successful May.

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"A batch of radical utilized to halt there," said Amanda Belarmino, an subordinate prof of hospitality astatine UNLV.