The top executive for the company that operates resorts in Primm said it became clear after the COVID-19 pandemic that the area could no longer support three hotel-casinos.
That’s why Affinity Interactive closed Whiskey Pete’s, on the west side of Interstate 15 at the Nevada-California border in December, and has made plans to focus on repositioning the property as a travel center for Southern Californians traveling to Las Vegas in the future instead of a destination resort.
Affinity also operates Buffalo Bill’s and Primm Valley on the east side of I-15.
Scott Butera, president and CEO of Affinity Interactive, sailed through a suitability and key employee licensing hearing with unanimous approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission Thursday. The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Feb. 12 recommended approval of Butera’s licensing request.
Butera, who has been in the gaming industry for 30 years and has been licensed multiple times, said no decisions have been made for the Primm properties.
“We’re trying to figure out what will be the best use of the property,” Butera told commissioners in his licensing testimony. “It’s going to be quite an exciting transition.”
He said that could include additional retail components to support amenities already in place – around 1,200 slot machines between the two open casinos, the 6,500-seat Star of the Desert Arena which hosts a variety of entertainment with heavy emphasis on Latin acts, a roller coaster, the Desperado, which was once the tallest in the world, and the 50,000 vehicles that drive past the resorts every day.
Butera said because Primm straddles the California-Nevada state line, a convenience store on the California side of the line does booming business for lottery ticket sales whenever the jackpot soars.
Butera said a shopping mall near the resorts is operated by the Primm family.
Affinity officials have a date with the Clark County Commission Tuesday to seek a waiver of business and liquor license requirements for up to three years. County commissioners will consider a license waiver for a closure for 24 months with the possibility of two six-month extensions.
The long-term future of Primm also could be impacted by the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport, which is projected to be built between Jean and Primm and open by 2037.
In other business Thursday, the commission unanimously approved an amended order of registration for BetMGM, the 50-50 partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain PLC for sports betting, to take over operations of nine Strip sportsbooks as a non-restricted licensee.
The approval doesn’t affect customer-facing procedures at the sportsbooks operated at Mandalay Bay, Aria, Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Excalibur, Luxor, MGM Grand, New York-New York and Park MGM from a hub at Mandalay Bay using Entain technology.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
