Casino closures in Primm, Nevada, could create first ‘gambling ghost town’

A Nevada location as soon as thrived with a number of casinos, motels, eating places and loads of outlet procuring.

Today, the city of Primm may have its final on line casino resort shut on July 4 — placing 344 individuals out of labor, in accordance with Fox 5 Las Vegas in addition to other outlets.

“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, everyone cleared out,” Michael Green, affiliate professor of historical past on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), informed Fox News Digital.

“Primm, I think, could end up being the first gambling ghost town,” he stated.

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Located on the California-Nevada border, Primm is a 38-mile drive south from the Las Vegas Strip.

Since the Seventies, vacationers driving to and from Vegas or in search of a less-expensive Sin City-style expertise made Primm a booming place, SFGate reported.

In December 2024, nonetheless, the first of the three casinos in the Primm Valley Casino Resorts complicated closed.

The shuttering of Whiskey Pete’s was adopted by Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino limiting its operations to particular occasions in July 2025.

When it shuts down this summer time, the Primm Valley Casino Resorts will terminate entry to the 624 resort rooms and suites, 46,000 sq. toes of leisure and greater than 300 slot machines it advertises, in accordance with Fox 5.

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Primm Valley Casino Resorts’ father or mother firm, Affinity Gaming, knowledgeable workers earlier this month of their termination and informed them to vacate firm housing by July 6, in accordance with an 8NewsNow.com report.

The firm knowledgeable workers it will stop charging them hire on May 15 and supplied to assist coordinate authorities help, in accordance with a letter issued to tenants and revealed by 8NewsNow.

As playing grew to become extra accessible elsewhere, the city of Primm, Nevada, skilled decline. (iStock)

In addition to the three casinos, the Primm Center gasoline station and Flying J truck cease may even shut, though the Primm household is reportedly working to maintain the gasoline stations alongside the closely traveled route open, Fox 5 stated.

“Primm have you ever seen a slow decline of the past 15 to twenty years, largely due to growth in California and partly due to growth in Las Vegas,” Amanda Belarmino, affiliate professor of hospitality at UNLV, informed Fox News Digital.

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“The success of Native American casinos in Southern California led to a decline in visitation to the Primm casinos,” Belarmino 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,” she stated.

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That’s one purpose Las Vegas began emphasizing the vacationer expertise versus “just gambling,” Green stated.

Primm did offer buffets, a curler coaster, concert events, a golf course and an exhibit devoted to Bonnie and Clyde’s “death car,” however “three hotels in that area were a bit too much,” Green stated.

The casinos in Primm, Nevada, by no means recovered from the hit they took throughout COVID instances, specialists say. (iStock)

enterprise dropped substantially during COVID and by no means actually recovered, Green added.

In spite of online bettingon line casino gaming isn’t disappearing, stated David G. Schwartz, UNLV professor and gaming historian.

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“Gambling is going to continue to parallel retail,” Schwartz stated. “People would purchase paper towels on-line, however they won’t purchase a Lamborghini on-line.”

“When it comes to purchasing lottery tickets, it’s most likely extra handy to try this in your telephone,” Schwartz stated.

The rise of web playing has led to modifications in the on line casino trade. (iStock)

If individuals wish to play a $20,000-hand of baccarat, they may seemingly wish to try this in particular person, he stated.

Schwartz believes vacation resort destinations centered round playing will shift towards different facilities.

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“If you look at Las Vegas over the past 10 years, what have the big developments been?” Schwartz stated.

“It’s not necessarily been the casinos that have opened. It’s been things like T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, the Sphere. Non-gaming has really been the big news.”