Taking gambles on Primm, Nevada

Summary

Consider This – "Taking Gambles on Primm, Nevada"

Date: July 3, 2026
Host: Juana Summers
Reported by: Erica Ryan
Featured Guests: Corey Clemenson (grandson of Ernie Primm), David Schwartz (gaming historian, UNLV)

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the past, present, and possible future of Primm, Nevada—a near-ghost town on the California-Nevada border that once thrived as a lively casino and entertainment stop for travelers. With the gambling industry having expanded across America, Primm’s fortunes have faded, but descendants of its founding family hope for a comeback. Reporter Erica Ryan visits Primm to investigate its challenges and prospects for revival.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Primm’s Glory Days (02:11–04:18)

• Nostalgia for the 1990s:
  • Primm was a bustling tourist hotspot in the 1990s, boasting packed hotels, lively casinos, rodeos, concerts, and the record-breaking Desperado roller coaster.
  • Quote: “People were obviously having a great time…What I remember is you had kind of a carnival type of atmosphere here.” – Corey Clemenson (00:20)
  • Atmosphere: The parking lots would be “packed…nearly impossible” to find a space, reflecting the town’s peak popularity. (03:57)

2. Decline and Closure (04:18–05:31)

• The Downturn:
  • Two of Primm’s three hotels (Whiskey Pete’s and Buffalo Bills) have closed; the last remaining was announced for closure earlier in 2026.
  • Quote: “Heartbreaking, heartbreaking.” – Corey Clemenson, on seeing the rusted, inactive roller coaster (04:28)
• Family Intervention and Partnership:
  • The Primm family teamed up with Terribles (a Nevada convenience store company) to try resurrecting the town after hearing about the final hotel’s closure.

3. Industry-Wide Shifts (06:05–06:57)

• Growth in Competition:
  • Historian David Schwartz describes how casino gambling, once mainly found in Nevada, proliferated nationwide from the late 1970s onward.
    • Expansion to Atlantic City, tribal casinos, riverboat casinos, then racetracks, and finally more city-based casinos, especially in California.
    • Quote: “You have the proliferation of tribal casinos in Southern California.” – David Schwartz (06:39)
  • The key factor for Primm’s decline: increased convenience and proximity of gambling options for Californians, making distant destinations like Primm less appealing.
    • Quote: “Instead of having to drive all the way to Primm, you could just drive a much shorter distance right up the road. And it’s really hard to say, hey, we’re going to invest millions of dollars here based on vibes.” – David Schwartz (06:42)

4. Las Vegas Thrives—Why Not Primm? (08:02–09:15)

• Las Vegas’ Strategy:
  • Vegas invested heavily in diversified attractions (e.g., mega-resorts, The Sphere, sports teams), shifting from being only a gambling hub to an all-around entertainment and events capital.
    • Quote: “They invested a lot of money in building things like the Venetian, like Mirage, like Sphere, sports teams coming here now, Allegiant Stadium, T Mobile Arena. All that stuff gives people a reason to come to Vegas instead of going to a casino closer to where they live.” – David Schwartz (08:25)
  • Many Vegas visitors now come for food, shows, and unique experiences—not just gambling.
    • Quote: “A lot of people who come to Vegas don’t gamble at all…they’re selling rooms and concerts and all that stuff.” – David Schwartz (08:45)
• Innovation Pays Off:
  • New, premium experiences like The Sphere show that “people will pay for innovation.” (09:15)

5. Can Primm Reinvent Itself? (09:15–10:07)

• Optimism and Plans:
  • Corey Clemenson expresses determination to engineer “one of the greatest comebacks in Nevada history.”
    • Quote: “If you can turn a ghost town into greatness again, there’s not anything you can’t do. And so why not go for the challenge? Why not us?” – Corey Clemenson (05:09)
  • Possible factors for revival: new airport plans near Primm, leveraging affordable price points, and modernizing the town in a unique way.
    • Quote: “I think what Primm needs to do is modernize in its own unique way, and we have to figure that out.” – Corey Clemenson (09:55)
• Identity & Legend:
  • Discusses local lore, like Whiskey Pete, the supposed bootlegger buried upright with a whiskey bottle—shows Primm’s quirky character. (10:11)

6. Challenges and Reflections (10:01–10:42)

• Competition Issue:
  • Competing with a revitalized Las Vegas, just 40 miles away, is an ongoing challenge, but Primm might appeal to those looking for a more affordable option.
  • Quote: “It’s always been a more affordable option.” – Corey Clemenson (10:07)
• Legacy and Future:
  • Neither Clemenson nor the Primm family are ready to write Primm’s obituary—there’s faith in a new chapter.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the faded glory: “What does it feel like right now, in this moment, Corey, to look at this inert roller coaster, it's faded, it's rusting?”
  – “Heartbreaking, heartbreaking.” (04:28)

• On Primm’s challenge: “We've got to make one of the greatest comebacks in Nevada history. That's what we've got to do.”
  – Corey Clemenson (09:29)

• On Las Vegas’ success: “People will pay for innovation. And Vegas has managed to survive by continually placing bets on the next big thing.”
  – Erica Ryan (09:15)

• On hope in adversity: “Rain in the desert is a promise of new beginning. And rain in the desert is a good thing.”
  – David Schwartz (07:14)

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Notable Timestamps

• 00:20 – 00:29: Clemenson reminisces about Primm’s heyday
• 03:57 – 04:18: Discussion of crowds and unending optimism in the 1990s
• 04:28: Emotional reaction to the abandoned roller coaster
• 05:09: Clemenson on rising to the challenge of reviving Primm
• 06:05 – 06:57: David Schwartz explains gambling’s geographic expansion and how convenience changed everything
• 08:25 – 08:45: Schwartz on why Las Vegas remains competitive
• 09:04: The Sphere as a symbol of premium innovation in Vegas
• 09:29: Clemenson’s rallying call for a Primm comeback

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Tone and Style

The episode is factual but sprinkled with local color, a touch of nostalgia, and hopefulness for future possibilities. Speakers reflect both on heartbreak and resilience, matching the ups and downs of Primm itself.

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Summary

The fate of Primm, Nevada, now hangs in the balance as the Primm family and new business partners seek to reimagine what the town can be in an era where casino gambling is available almost everywhere. With the shadow and opportunity of Las Vegas looming nearby, the question remains whether Primm can innovate and carve out a new identity—just as Vegas has done time and time again. The episode leaves us reflecting on how innovation, diversification, and a bit of local magic might just bring the “good days” back to the border town.

Transcript

[Juana Summers]

It's consider this, where every day we go deep on one big news story. Today we look at the future of the little casino town Prem, Nevada, right on the California border. It's named after the casino developer Ernie Prem and his grandson Corey. Clemetson remembers that back in the 1990s, the town was popping. The hotels were packed, it was filled.

[Corey Clemenson]

People were obviously having a great time, you know, drinking, gambling. What I remember is you had kind of a carnival type of atmosphere here.

[Juana Summers]

Today, Prim is nearly empty and two of its three hotels are shuttered. But Clemetson and the rest of the Prim family are hoping to resurrect this town.

[Corey Clemenson]

You know, the magic can come back. It might not be exactly like it was 30 years ago, but can it be great in different forms? Absolutely. Prem will be back to some better days, hopefully sooner rather than later.

[Juana Summers]

Consider this, the town of Prem, Nevada, has seen its fortunes fade as casinos have proliferated across America. So can the family that owns Prem turn the town's luck around. From NPR hi, I'm Juana Summers.

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[Juana Summers]

It's consider this from NPR. Prem, Nevada is just a blip on Interstate 15, about 40 minutes outside of Las Vegas. Thirty years ago, it was a thriving tourist stop. Today it's nearly a ghost town. So how has Las Vegas managed to adapt to shifting gambling trends? Well, casino towns like Prem have not. And what will it take to bring Prem back to life? My co host Elsa Chang traveled to Nevada to learn more.

[Erica Ryan]

When the Desperado roller coaster first opened up in 1994 right here on the Nevada state line, it was one of the tallest and fastest in the world. And Corey Clemenson Was among the first to ride it.

[Corey Clemenson]

Front car.

[Erica Ryan]

You were in the front car?

[Corey Clemenson]

Front car.

[Erica Ryan]

Are you a screamer?

[Corey Clemenson]

No, but I screamed on that ride. I was.

[Erica Ryan]

And kept my eyes shut out of genuine terror.

[Corey Clemenson]

Yeah, it was a great moment.

[Erica Ryan]

The roller coaster was the latest attraction in a little casino town called Primm, which was named after Clementson's grandfather, Ernie Prim. The Primm family still owns all the land this town is built on. Primm would be the first place you would spot across the Nevada border, cruising from LA to Vegas. The first place you could gamble.

[David Schwartz]

Three great hotel casinos, 4200 slots, 10 restaurants. It's a must see.

[Erica Ryan]

Back in the 1990s, TV spots like this advertised the thousands of cheap rooms. And visitors would flood into Prim not just for the gambling and the roller coaster, but also for the rodeos, boxing matches, performances by stars like Aretha Franklin, and one of the top outlet malls in the country. But those massive crowds feel like a distant memory now. What would this place look like in front of us? This parking lot? Packed, packed cars. Would it be hard to find a parking space?

[Corey Clemenson]

It would be. On the weekends, it'd be nearly impossible. There was great anticipation with what Primm was doing and where. You know, Prim is kind of on top. Right. I mean, it really.

[Erica Ryan]

Because the investment in a roller coaster is a big investment. Was there a feeling of, like, this is going to get bigger and better?

[Corey Clemenson]

I think for anybody who was here, it was never going to end.

[Erica Ryan]

And what does it feel like right now in this moment, Corey, to look at this inert roller coaster, it's faded, it's rusting.

[Corey Clemenson]

Heartbreaking, heartbreaking.

[Erica Ryan]

Today, the loudest sounds in Primm are the trucks speeding by on the highway and the lone crows looming over empty parking lots. Two of the three hotel casinos here have closed. That's Whiskey Pete's and Buffalo Bills. Then a couple months ago, the company that operates these properties, Affinity Interactive, announced that it would be closing the third and final hotel, laying off hundreds of staff. And that is when Clemenson and the rest of the Primm family decided to step in, teaming up with a Nevada convenience store company called Terribles to try to resurrect this ghost town.

[Corey Clemenson]

If you can turn a ghost town into greatness again, there's not anything you can't do. And so why not go for the challenge? Why not us?

[Erica Ryan]

But how do you bring back the people to Prim?

[David Schwartz]

So there used to be a monorail that went going across the freeway from Whiskey Peats over here. Or maybe that's A modern people mover here to get people from one side to the other.

[Erica Ryan]

That is David Schwartz, a gaming historian at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. And that people mover is now abandoned, gathering cobwebs and bird poop. But Schwartz says that train is a reminder of Primm's potential.

[David Schwartz]

That was a time of big dreams and when Vegas itself was thriving so much and just expanding and exploding. Why not? Because it seemed like this would last forever.

[Erica Ryan]

So tell me why a town that used to be thriving like Primm was turned into a ghost town?

[David Schwartz]

So if we go back to 1975, pretty much the only place you can gamble legally in a casino is in Nevada. Fast forward 1976, casino gambling legalized for Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1980s. You have the proliferation of tribal casinos and you also have the beginnings of riverboat casinos in the Midwest. Fast forward to the 90s. Now you have casinos at racetracks, 2000s more land based casinos in cities all around the country. Then what happened is you have the proliferation of tribal casinos in Southern California.

[Erica Ryan]

Okay, and what did tribal casinos offer that say, maybe a town like Prim did not?

[David Schwartz]

Well, convenience. A lot more convenience. Instead of having to drive all the way to Prim, you could just drive much shorter distance right up the road. And it's really hard to say, hey, we're going to invest millions of dollars here based on vibes. Yeah.

[NPR Sponsor Announcer]

Based on what?

[Erica Ryan]

Vibes.

[David Schwartz]

Yeah, based on, well, hopes. Hopes for the future, Optimism, a faith in our ability to reinvent ourselves, you know?

[Corey Clemenson]

Yeah.

[Erica Ryan]

Wow. Now that's a sign from the heavens. We just got some thunder.

[David Schwartz]

Yes, because rain in the desert is a promise of new beginning. And rain in the desert is a good thing. I feel like the places that can do more to reinvent themselves, to offer different things just like Vegas did, are going to do a lot better.

[Erica Ryan]

What brings you to Vegas, baby?

[David Schwartz]

Expensive casinos.

[Corey Clemenson]

We're here for a convention.

[David Schwartz]

Wizard vibes.

[Erica Ryan]

It was great. Oh, and the sphere.

[Juana Summers]

Yep. Good food.

[Erica Ryan]

Really good food in Vegas. Oh, Omega Mark, you've got quite a lot of cards here with a broad selection of women.

[Juana Summers]

I'm married. I don't get.

[David Schwartz]

Okay, so I will throw them into the closest trash can that I can find. We went ATV riding, we had dinner at the top of the world and

[Corey Clemenson]

we going to bed.

[Erica Ryan]

You're going to bed? It's only 7pm We've been up since Saturday.

[David Schwartz]

It's Tuesday.

[Erica Ryan]

When you stand on the strip In Vegas, just 40 miles from Prem, you are in a totally different universe. The tourism numbers in Vegas are almost as high as they have ever been before. I asked David Schwartz, who also met us here, why does Vegas continue to thrive even as casinos have been popping up all over the country?

[David Schwartz]

What Vegas did differently was they invested a lot of money in building things like the Venetian, like Mirage, like Sphere, sports teams coming here now, Allegiant Stadium, T Mobile Arena. All that stuff gives people a reason to come to Vegas instead of going to a casino closer to where they live.

[Erica Ryan]

Right. And you come to Vegas, I feel like, not just to gamble.

[David Schwartz]

Yeah, A lot of people who come to Vegas don't gamble at all. And at one time, the casino owners would have panicked. Now it's not such a big deal because they're selling rooms and concerts and all that stuff.

[Erica Ryan]

Speaking of concerts, a recent addition to the Vegas skyline is The Sphere, a $2.3 billion entertainment venue.

[David Schwartz]

It's a lot more expensive than other venues might be, but it's a real premium experience. And I think it helped to prove another time that, yeah, people will pay for that premium experience.

[Erica Ryan]

Yeah, people will pay for innovation. And Vegas has managed to survive by continually placing bets on the next big thing. Now the question for Prim, Nevada, is can they do the same?

[Corey Clemenson]

We've got to make one of the greatest comebacks in Nevada history. That's what we've got to do.

[Erica Ryan]

Cory Clementson says he is going to ignore all the naysayers.

[Corey Clemenson]

This is a tall order. This is definitely a tall order. But I think there's a lot of

[Erica Ryan]

possibilities here, including a possible new airport in the next decade or so, just a mile or two from Prim. And he's hoping that airport will bring tourists here the same way the highway once did.

[Corey Clemenson]

I think what Prim needs to do is modernize in its own unique way, and we have to figure that out.

[Erica Ryan]

How does Prim compete with a city like Vegas? Vegas is not that far away.

[Corey Clemenson]

I think you have different price points. It's always been a more affordable option.

[Erica Ryan]

Prim might also be the only town that has a bootlegger buried upright with a whiskey bottle in his hand. I'm talking about Whiskey Pete, the namesake of one of the shuttered hotels. At least this is how legend tells it.

[Corey Clemenson]

I've heard multiple stories, but I've never seen where he's been buried.

[Erica Ryan]

So I don't mean this to be a morbid question, but would you want to be buried on the premises here?

[Corey Clemenson]

I don't think so. So I don't think my wife would know. I love my grandfather, but I'm not thinking about my obituary just yet.

[Erica Ryan]

Nor is he thinking just yet about the obituary of Prim Nevada.

[Juana Summers]

This episode was produced by Erica Ryan and Tyler Bartlem. It was edited by Christopher Intagliota and Timid Ermias. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. It's Consider this from npr. I'm Juana Summers. Before we go, a quick thank you to our Consider this Plus listeners who support the show. Your contribution makes it possible for NPR journalists all around the world to do their jobs. Supporters also get to hear every episode in even less time with no sponsor messages. Learn more at plus.NPR.org.

[David Schwartz]

Foreign.

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