Primm Valley Casino has officially announced its reopening at noon on Wednesday, July 22, merely six weeks after the venue faced the threat of permanent closure. This revival occurs 17 days following Terrible’s Gaming’s acquisition of the property, which initiated a continuous effort to rejuvenate this long-challenged border casino.
According to company officials, the reopening will commence with a brief ceremony at the hotel’s porte cochere, featuring speeches by members of Terrible’s leadership and Cory Clemetson, the grandson of landowner Ernie Primm. Once the ribbon is cut, visitors will have access to 422 gaming machines, 250 hotel rooms, a William Hill sportsbook, a lively sports bar, and a round-the-clock quick-service eatery.
Executives from Terrible’s reported that numerous employees from both Primm Valley and other Terrible’s locations dedicated the past two weeks to refurbishing, cleaning, and reactivating the aging resort. The company also confirmed that all previously earned rewards tiers will be respected.
This reopening marks just the start of Terrible’s ambitious plans. Construction is already in progress on new dining venues, which include a coffee bar, a casual 24-hour café, and an upscale steakhouse aimed at modernizing the culinary offerings at this remote establishment. Further long-term enhancements are anticipated to follow.
Primm’s Revival Secured
The revival is particularly noteworthy in light of how close Primm came to becoming another ghost town in Nevada. The former operator, Affinity Gaming, announced on May 5 that Primm Valley Resort would end operations permanently on July 4. Additionally, it announced the closure of Whiskey Pete’s (which had already been shut down in 2024) and Buffalo Bill’s (which Affinity falsely claimed was still operational for concerts, despite no events being scheduled).
This shutdown would have eliminated jobs for Affinity’s 300 employees in Primm, but that wasn’t the end of it. Affinity further disparaged the properties, labeling them as “obsolete” and “a cash drain” costing between $10 million to $15 million annually.
The closure would have also led to the shutdown of employee housing and the California Lottery store located just across the border.
Clemetson strongly criticized Affinity’s choice to walk away, describing the mass layoffs on July 4 as “ill-advised” and questioning the company’s integrity.
A Fortunate Reunion for Terrible’s
Terrible’s involvement represents a homecoming of sorts: the Herbst family previously managed the Primm establishments under their Herbst Gaming brand from 2007 until they lost control in 2010 during a bankruptcy reorganization that resulted in the formation of Affinity Gaming.
Today, the company operates a vast network of convenience stores, travel hubs, taverns, and rural casinos, with properties extending throughout Pahrump, Indian Springs, Fernley, and Searchlight.
Herbst sees great potential for Primm’s future, especially with the proposed Brightline West high-speed rail line and a long-discussed supplemental airport south of Las Vegas.