Nevada casino town Primm saved from ghost-town fate by new partnership

A FIRST ON FOX: It’s 11 a.m. and on the verge of closing for the Fourth of July, the Primm family in Nevada has found a white knight partner to help save their once-packed resort from becoming a dilapidated ghost town.

Members of the Primm family shared exclusively with Fox News Digital on Monday that they have signed a deal with another private company, Las Vegas-based Terrible’s, to operate the hotel-casino and related properties in Primm, Nevada.

“We are pleased to be able to find such a qualified and like-minded partner for our properties in Primm,” said Cory Clemetson, grandson of Primm’s founder and president of Primm South Real Estate Company. he said.

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Terrible’s president, Tim Herbst, said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital: “Primm has long been one of Nevada’s best-known destinations. This partnership reflects our commitment to preserving that legacy while creating new opportunities for growth, investment and tourism. We believe Primm’s best days are still ahead.”

Primm has long been a A more affordable alternative to Las Vegas. But as Fox News Digital previously reported, Primm’s last casino hotel, Primm Valley Resort & Casino, was scheduled to close on July 4th. This closure would cause 344 people to become unemployed.

The anticipated closures were recently 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.

Affinity Interactive CEO Scott Butera recently told the Gaming Control Board that Primm is “unsuitable as a casino operation,” the Nevada Independent reported.

The manager quoted ongoing financial losses and unsuccessful investment efforts are among the reasons for the closure.

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“If [my grandfather] If he were alive today he would be very angry [about the idea of] “We’re releasing over 300 people on a hot day of celebration on the Fourth of July,” Clemetson told Fox News Digital.

“According to me [my grandfather] I would just be ashamed [if] “This happened,” he said.

“Our new operator, [together with] “We will be able to transition in a much more responsible way…on behalf of the hard-working paycheck-to-paycheck workers who, in many cases, have given their lives to Primm,” he added.

Fox News Digital previously reached out to Affinity Interactive for comment.

An abandoned shopping mall in Primm, shown above, was another victim of the economic crisis, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs. (Fox News Digital’s Michael Anthony)

Since the 1970s, travelers commuting to Vegas or looking for a cheaper Sin City-style experience have made Primm a thriving destination.

But in December 2024, the first of three casinos in the world Primm Valley Casino Resorts The complex was closed.

The closure of Whiskey Pete’s was followed by Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino limiting its operations to private events in July 2025.

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If it were to close this summer, Primm Valley Casino Resorts would close 624 hotel rooms and suites, as well as 46,000 square feet of entertainment space, according to Fox 5.

Asked why so many visitors remain nostalgic about Primm, Clemetson said: “I guess people just remember those good times. [by] as a child.”

When asked why so many visitors are nostalgic about Primm, one member of the Primm family said: “I think people remember the great times they stopped when they were kids.” (Fox News Digital’s Michael Anthony)

“We used to have a roller coaster that was working,” he shared.

“It was affordable for most families, even by Las Vegas standards.”

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Clemetson chuckled as he recounted fond memories of his grandfather’s childhood.

“He had a wig, and I was stealing the wig and running around, and he was chasing me and laughing,” Clemetson said.

Cory Clemetson chuckled as he recounted fond memories of his childhood at his grandfather’s family-run resort complex. (Fox News Digital)

“[My relatives] Some great ideas came up, including a $1 hot dog; “It’s a really good hot dog, Coney-Island style,” he said.

Now Clemetson is investing in a new airport being developed near the town of Primm.

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Southern Nevada Annex Airport (SNSA), formerly known as Ivanpah Valley Airport, will be located on Interstate 15 (I-15) in the immediate vicinity of Primm.

According to reports, construction is expected to start in 2029 and be completed as early as 2035.

A new airport is said to be under development near the town of Primm, Nevada. (Fox News Digital’s Michael Anthony)

“Primm will have an advantage that very few Las Vegas casinos have even today,” he said.

The Herbst family, which operates Terrible’s, has a major presence in gaming, retail, fuel, lodging and travel services.

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Future plans may include property renovations, enhanced travel amenities, enhanced food and beverage offerings, infrastructure improvements and other investments.

Clemetson said today he’s “bullish on long-term prospects.”

Future plans may include property renovations, enhanced travel amenities, enhanced food and beverage offerings, infrastructure improvements and other investments. (iStock)

“My grandfather is known as a legendary figure in our state… with a lot of history,” he said.

“I know our family wants to do everything they can to preserve this legacy,” Clemetson said.

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“We don’t know exactly what the future will bring, but we’re doing our best to get back to better days.”

Teresa Mull and Andrea Margolis, both of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.