More than six months after closing Whiskey Pete’s at the Nevada and California border in Primm, Affinity Interactive announced late Tuesday it’s shuttering Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino as a full-time gaming destination, while retaining its hotel and casino operation for concerts and special events starting this fall.
The company released a statement on social media citing the property’s focus on entertainment and shifting 24/7 operations to its neighboring 624-room Primm Valley Resort. There were reports the property would close full-time operation on July 7, but a company spokesperson couldn’t confirm that. The property with 1,242 rooms opened in 1994.
“In order to deliver the best possible experience for today’s guest expectations, Buffalo Bill’s will be shifting its 24/7 operations to Primm Valley Resort & Casino,” the social statement said. “We invite our guests to join us at Primm Valley where they will find the newest slots on our redesigned casino floor, rooms, pool experience, and dining.”
The statement said Buffalo Bill’s will continue to be home for “concerts and special events” at its 6,500-seat arena.
Initial news media accounts based on the statement were inaccurate, according to the spokesperson, who gave additional details about what’s to take place. “You will have the entertainment, the casino, and all of the amenities, but just around concerns and special events. That’s the hotel, food and beverage, and casino.”
Buffalo Bill’s will be announcing the schedule of events for the fall, which will “essentially be a few weekends a month,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson didn’t know what date that would start, but that the property would temporarily close before reopening around the events.
In December, Whiskey Pete’s, which opened in 1977, suddenly closed and patrons were redirected to book a room at Buffalo Bill’s. The company said at the time that it did so to feature investments it made at Buffalo Bill’s and Primm Valley Resorts. Affinity also operates Silver Sevens Casino in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year, Affinity Interactive CEO Scott Butera appeared before Nevada regulators for his licensing and hinted that changes were coming. “We are in the process of doing a major repositioning in Primm,” he said. “Primm is an historic place and for decades it’s been a gateway for Southern Californians to Nevada. We want to restore that.”
Butera said that they’re repositioning their Primm Valley hotel by adding national brands, since the ownership group is involved in a number of restaurant concepts.
The operator said it was improving its travel centers by building a $4 million marquee that will show off the property and advertise for Las Vegas casino operators. They’ve also invested $5 million to $6 million in slot products in the company.
Affinity owns about 15 acres out of 200 and leases land from the Primm family.
Primm was once a destination resort for Southern Californians from Las Vegas and Mojave Desert, who now have tribal casinos closer to them. Butera said at one time, there was a need for three large casinos, but “that time has passed” and there’s a better application for the Whiskey Pete’s property, concepts which are now being studied.
“We have 50,000 cars a day that pass by, and the idea is how to cater to that community that have been on long drives to not only get gas or recharge their car but get something nice to eat and have fun at the casino before they move on,” Butera said. “On the weekends, we’ve been very successful at Buffalo Bill’s with the 6,000-seat arena. . Between what we will be doing to add to our travel centers and improve the Primm Valley resort with food and beverage concepts with national brands and continuing to focus on entertainment on the weekends, it will be a good step for Primm. Longer term if the (Ivanpah) airport were ever developed (nearby), could you have housing out there and logistics centers. The future is pretty interesting for that property.”
