Primm is "just not viable as a casino operation," Affinity Gaming CEO Scott Butera told the Gaming Control Board on Thursday, adding that it's unclear what the future holds for the soon-to-be-closed gaming market. 

The Las Vegas-based company announced earlier this month that the last of Primm's three casinos would permanently close July 4, along with Primm Center, which has several food and sundries outlets, the Flying J truck stop and the Primm Valley Lotto Store, just across the state line in California. Some 344 workers are losing their jobs, nearly 75 percent of whom have to vacate their company-owned apartments behind the casinos.

Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer told Butera that the regulatory agency was watching the events unfold in Primm "with grave concern for the community."

Butera told the regulators the company was "working very closely with the landlord, looking at either [another operator] potentially taking over the asset or hopefully selling the asset." He told the control board that "a potential suitor" submitted a letter of interest for the property.

"We're hoping that we'll have a transition on the property, but we are exiting as the tenant."

Affinity was in front of the control board with Boomer's Sports Book, which was approved for a license to take over the betting location inside the company's off-Strip Silver Sevens Casino and Hotel.

Dreitzer, however, wanted to address some of the questions surrounding Primm, which he deemed the first town that greets visitors from Southern California when they are driving into Nevada on Interstate 15.

"This is of critical importance to the state, and good faith is not only requested, but it's required," he said.

Butera, who had been overseeing Affinity's digital division since March 2023 before being named CEO in 2024, said Affinity, which has operated the Primm resorts for more than a decade, said the gaming market at the border was declining.

"It's been losing money, and we've been investing a lot of money over the years to no avail," Butera said. "We've tried many things there, including building a new sign and new slot machines."

He told the control board that Affinity's lease with the Primm family requires a casino operation. However, the company told the family it was no longer able to operate a casino.

After the hearing, a spokesperson for New York City-based hedge fund Z Capital Group, which acquired the former property operator Herbst Gaming out of bankruptcy in 2010, wrote in an email that the market has been "a significant cash drain and management distraction for Affinity for many years," calling the closure of Primm "a prudent business decision."

The spokesperson added that Affinity "embarked on an exhaustive analysis, an extensive evaluation of alternatives, and a robust sale process that yielded no potential buyers."

Dreitzer warned Affinity that the company must make a "good-faith attempt" that would allow Primm to continue in "the fullest way possible." The state gaming industry's chief regulator added that "we're going to keep a close eye on it to make sure that that's the case. We wanted to establish that [on the] record."

Butera said the company has been "working tirelessly" to help soon-to-be-displaced Primm workers find employment and housing.

"We've had many, many agencies there to assist the employees that are there, either in continuing their employment, hopefully, or finding new employment, housing, etc. So all I can say is we've been incredibly cooperative and hopeful that things are going well," Butera said. 

Butera told the control board that Affinity has brought nearly two dozen agencies, charities and help organizations to visit the property. 

"We've organized everything from health care to relocation of housing and food programs," Butera told the regulators. "We'll also contract to run a shuttle back and forth to and from Las Vegas daily so people can interview for employment."
Despite his assurances, Primm employees told The Nevada Independent last week that they have seen little help from the company.