| There are certain rights of passages Southern Californians enjoy. |
| One is the roughly four-hour road trip east along the 15 Freeway to Las Vegas. |
| I've journeyed this route many times and always marveled at Primm, Nev., a mini version of Vegas built on the state line, about 40 miles from the real Sin City. |
| It was a miracle and a mirage: a trio of themed casinos, one bustling outlet mall, a still wildly popular lotto store, an arena that pulled in big acts and, at one time, the world's fastest roller coaster. |
| As a broke student, it welcomed me with $50 rooms, $20 buffets, cheap drinks and relief after long Friday night drives. The parking lots were always packed and the kitschy decor was welcoming. |
| I was last there in July to witness the end of regular operations at Buffalo Bill's Resort and Casino. |
| While the future of the state line enterprise, run by Affinity Gaming, looks dark, there may be light on the horizon. I visited Primm to ask questions, scan documents and attend meetings to gauge the future of this scrappy place. |
What made Primm attractive in the first place? |
| The vision of dining, playing and staying just across the state line appealed to Ernest Primm, who ran card rooms in Southern California, places where patrons might be lured in with a 25-cent steak. |
| He eventually built Whiskey Pete's in a small town known as State Line, which was renamed Primm in 1996 after his death. |
| The castle-shaped Whiskey Pete's opened in 1977, followed by Primm Valley in 1990 and Buffalo Bill's in 1994. |
| All three enjoyed expansion and growth throughout the 2010s by luring guests with low prices, gimmicks and attractions. |
| One of the attractions was the famed Bonnie & Clyde "Death Car," the V-8 Ford that was riddled with more than 100 bullets by police who gunned down the infamous duo in 1934. Whiskey Pete's offered a 24-hour IHOP, and Primm Valley's 100-store outlet mall teemed with shoppers bused into the mall for free or at discounted prices as a part of tours. |
| There was also Buffalo Bill's Desperado, the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1994; it sent visitors screaming 209 feet above the freeway right outside the resort. A tram, now dusty and shuttered, connected all three resorts. |
Struggles deepened by COVID-19 |
| The crowds began to thin with the COVID pandemic. Buffalo Bill's and its sister resorts closed in March 2020 when the pandemic hit, reopening in phases, starting in December 2022. But they struggled to attract customers. Whiskey Pete's closed in December. |
| Affinity Gaming announced Buffalo Bill's full-time closure in July, saying the resort would still host concerts and special events at its arena, with the casino, food and beverage services, and the hotel open during those times. Whiskey Pete's was closed — at least temporarily — on Dec. 18. Based on a request filed by Affinity to Clark County officials, the closure may last until Dec. 18, 2026, or longer. |
| In an October letter to the Clark County Board of Commissioners, Erin Barnett, Affinity's vice president and general counsel, wrote "that traffic at the state line has proved to be heavily weighted towards weekend activity and is insufficient to support three full-time casino properties." |
Odds of a revival |
| Still, Affinity is hoping a new airport planned to open just north of Primm in the late 2030s and adjacent supporting businesses will spur a resurgence. Scott Butera, Affinity's chief executive and president, said at a February meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission that Primm was "in the process of doing a major repositioning." |
| Primm 2.0 would have Primm Valley Hotel as its main resort, with national brands and new restaurant concepts and an improved truck stop travel center. It would feature a new $4-million marquee. |
| The vision is to restore Primm to a destination where Southern Californians traveling to Nevada can stop to "get gas or recharge their car but also [have] something nice to eat, have a little fun at a casino and then move on." |
| Good luck, Primm. I'm rooting for you. |
| This was only a small excerpt from the main article. |
The week's biggest stories |
 |
| Abandoned beds and wheelchairs remain on the front lawn and sidewalk after patients were evacuated from the Two Palms Nursing Center during the Eaton fire on Jan. 8 in Altadena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) |
The Eaton Fire: How the system failed Altadena |
- Poor communication, understaffing, a lack of adequate planning and chaotic conditions contributed to delayed evacuation orders, according to a long-awaited report released Thursday.
- The report confirms Times reporting from the last few months rather than uncovers any major revelations.
- Questions remain: Whose duty was it to issue more alerts and why exactly did they not?
|
A U.S. veteran's wrongful arrest by ICE |
- ICE arrested Army veteran George Retes Jr. during a massive July raid at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, where he worked. He was jailed three days without charges.
- After Retes wrote an op-ed about his arrest, federal officials accused him of assault, an allegation he strongly denies.
|
Faster, more frequent transfers of ICE detainees |
- According to ICE data reviewed by The Times, 12% of those detained from January through July have been transferred at least four times. Six percent have been transferred even more.
- Transfers often mean detainees are sent far away from loved ones, professional organizations, church groups, other community networks and their lawyers.
- Explore the interactive map to see each facility's transfers and deportations.
|
LAX has fallen in global airport rankings. Will a pre-Olympics transformation help? |
- Los Angeles World Airports Chief Executive John Ackerman believes a $30-billion airport overhaul will significantly improve travelers' experiences.
- The plan is to revamp the airport in time for the 2028 Olympics, which includes rebuilding Terminal 5, renovating employee facilities and updating signage to make it easier for travelers to find their way around the airport.
- The most anticipated project is a 2.25-mile elevated train that promises to whisk travelers between airport terminals and a new parking lot, rideshare lot and the newly opened LAX/Metro Transit Center.
|
| |
What else is going on |
| |
Commentary and opinions |
| |
| |
This morning's must reads |
| | | Kadre Architects, a small Eagle Rock architectural firm, is creating emergency and transitional housing in Southern California, as well as the new Betty Bazar Community Center in Woodland Hills. | | | |
| Other must reads |
| |
| Keep up with California | Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. | | | | | |
For your downtime |
 |
| The katsu sandwich, tomato, onion and fried anchovies, avocado toast and terrine from Cafe 2001 in downtown Los Angeles. (Emil Ravelo / For The Times) |
Going out |
| |
Staying in |
| |
A question for you: What do other drivers do on the road that frustrates you? |
| We're looking for your takes on L.A. driving etiquette. Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in a future edition of this newsletter. |
And finally ... your photo of the day |
 |
| Steve Stringer hosts his Tattoo a Mug workshop at his studio space, Steve's Backhouse, in Melrose Hill. (Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times) |
| Today's great photo is from Times photographer Juliana Yamada at the studio of an L.A. ceramicist who teaches people how to "tattoo" mugs. |
| Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team |
| Jim Rainey, staff writer
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Diamy Wang, homepage intern
Izzy Nunes, audience intern |
| How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com. |
