A month away from closing, the former gambling oasis of Primm, Nevada, located along the state line with Southern California, has a new lease on life.
The Primm family, which owns the land that includes three casinos and other businesses along Highway 15, announced Tuesday a partnership aimed at saving the struggling state border strip and hundreds of jobs.
The agreement allows Terrible's, based in Las VegasOwned by the Herbst family and perhaps most famous for a series of gas stations and convenience stores, to operate the properties.
“What we saw with them is the same energy we had rebuilding Primm,” said Cory Clemetson, describing the new deal with Terrible's in an interview with The Times. Clemetson is president of Primm South Real Estate Co. and the grandson of Primm founder Ernie Primm, who made a name for himself in Southern California in the 1930s and '40s with his Gardena card rooms.
In the summer of 2025, signage blocks the entrance to Primm Mall, a site once popular along with the trio of casinos on the California-Nevada state line.
(Bridget Bennett / for The Times)
“Primm has long been one of Nevada's most recognizable destinations,” Tim Herbst, president of Terrible's, said in a statement. “This partnership reflects our commitment to preserving that legacy while creating new opportunities for growth, investment and tourism for decades to come.”
Terrible Acquires Affinity Gaming, Owned by Private Equity Firm Z Capital Partners, Full Circle Gaming in Southern Nevada. In 2010, Herbst Gaming filed for bankruptcy and Z Capital Partners acquired Primm.
An email sent to Affinity Gaming representatives was not immediately returned.
The process for Terrible's to return to Primm began on May 5, when Affinity confirmed the closure of Primm Valley Casino Resorts.
Affinity subsidiary Primadonna Co. LLC sent layoff notices to more than 300 employees effective July 4.
The closure was devastating, Clemetson said.
“It felt like a punch in the gut,” he said. “I mean, you've got to be kidding that you'd announce something like that for the Fourth of July. Laying off over 300 Nevadans who are mostly living paycheck to paycheck with nowhere to go didn't sit well with my family.”
Primm Valley was the last of three resorts built between 1977 and 1994 on the site to remain fully operational.
Buffalo Bill's, the largest of the three resorts, closed its 24/7 operations in July 2025, after Whiskey Pete's, the original casino, closed in December 2024.
Affinity Gaming declined multiple requests from The Times to talk about Primm's struggles.
In a letter presented at a Clark County Board of Commissioners meeting, Erin Barnett, Affinity vice president and general counsel, wrote in October 2024 that “traffic at the state line has proven to be heavily weighted toward weekend activity and is insufficient to support three full-time casino properties.”
Scott Butera, CEO and president of Affinity, offered some comments on the closing in the Nevada Gaming Commission Meeting May 21.
“As a tenant with a difficult lease and an expensive property and increasing competition in California… it just became very difficult,” he said, “and we've been losing money for years there.”
Clemetson said Affinity asked for help over the years, such as possible rent reductions, but the Primm family was unaware of Affinity's finances.
As for the future, Clemetson said Terrible's was in the process of reacquiring a gaming license for Primm, which he expected to happen in the next three weeks.
He also said the goal of the Herbst and Primm families was to try to keep all workers who received a layoff notice employed.
Clemetson said he was excited about Primm's future under Terrible and attributed its bankruptcy in 2010 to the Great Recession.
“They suffered a similar fate to many big brands like MGM and Caesar's,” Clemetson said.
“They are very well regarded in Nevada and are a very successful family that has done well,” he added.
Speaking about Primm's chances of regaining his former glory, Clemetson goes back to his own past as a young sports agent for players on the LA Galaxy soccer team.
“I can't tell you how many people told me I was stupid to get involved representing football players because football would never get here,” he said. “Now, Major League Soccer has some franchises that are over a billion dollars.”
As for Tim Herbst and his family, “We believe Primm's best days are yet to come.”
