Employees left scrambling after closure of remaining Primm resort destinations

追加: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]We begin tonight with team coverage and the end of an era at the California-Nevada state line. Alyssa Bethancourt is live in Primm where casinos, outlet shopping, and the towering Desperado roller coaster that lit up I-15 are all going dark. We've worked really hard to get where we are here. It's not easy living in Primm and working in Primm.

[00:00:20]And I remember how it used to be so busy.

[00:00:24]I know. It's just lost for words.

[00:00:28]For decades, Primm was much more than just a stop on the way to Las Vegas, but with operations at Primm Valley shutting down, many are left wondering what could become of a town many people feel is slowly fading away. We'll take you out live to Alyssa in just a bit, but I also spoke with some people and spent some time out there this afternoon talking to those employees to find out what it means for them. Many told me they did not see this coming and now they're scrambling to figure out what exactly is going to happen next.

[00:00:55]Primm Valley Casino Resorts, a familiar stop for all of us along I-15. Whiskey Pete's has already gone dark. Now the company confirming the last two major properties, Buffalo Bill's and Primm Valley, will close July 4th along with nearby shops and the truck stop.

[00:01:11]>> It's just terrifying and it breaks my heart watching everybody push through and continue to work while they're crying and they don't know where they're going to be in two months.

[00:01:22]>> It's sad.

[00:01:23]>> Megan Miller has worked at Primm Valley Resort since 2018. She is among the 344 workers that Dieter is reporting will lose their jobs. And we're like, "Is this real? Is this really happening? Is it real?" They're like, "Yes, it's real.

[00:01:35]Everything's closing, the gas stations, all the casinos. It's real." Megan tells me her boyfriend's been working for this company since 2001, her mom for eight years. Between them, she says they've built a life here. She says they're also raising three kids who depend on both Megan and her boyfriend. Now all facing the same looming deadline. Megan tells me she was inside working as a cage cashier when she received this letter right at 5:00 letting her know that she was not only losing her job but also her home. All residents of the Desert Oasis Apartments is where we're at right now will be required to vacate their apartment unit, return all keys and company property no later than July 6th of this year. What came to mind for you immediately after that? Panic.

[00:02:18]Just pure panic. The letter also says to support a smooth transition as of May 15th, 2026, the company will no longer deduct weekly rent and will not require any future rent payments to be made.

[00:02:30]That's still not going to be enough saved up to be able to do anything to put a roof over my kids' heads, you know? Megan says Primm's isolation has always made life expensive. We've worked really hard to get where we are here. It's not easy living in Primm and working in Primm.

[00:02:48]Gas, food prices, expensive stuff. It's not easy, but we love our home. She says dozens of families here, loyal and long-serving, now face eviction and unemployment days apart. And I'm speaking on behalf of everybody.

[00:03:03]They deserve help. They are loyal and they are good people and they are hard workers. They deserve the help that they're not getting. They're not getting it.

[00:03:15]Definitely some very challenging circumstances there. Now, I did reach out to Primm Valley Casino Resorts to ask whether there will be any severance pay or assistance for the hundreds of families losing both their jobs and housing. And as of this newscast, we have not heard back yet.

[00:03:29]And while workers face uncertainty, travelers and longtime visitors are also reacting to this big news. For decades, Primm has been part of the Southern Nevada road trip experience. And Alyssa, for so many people, this place holds a lot of memories.

[00:03:44]Abel, absolutely. You know, all throughout the day people have been stopping by here after hearing this news and almost everybody that I spoke with has some sort of memory tied to this place, whether it was the roller coaster, the casinos, or the outlet shops, or simply making one final stop on the way to or from Las Vegas. Primm became a familiar sight for millions of travelers crossing the Nevada state line. Uh for many families, stopping here became a part of the road trip. I know it did for mine. But today, many of those same landmarks sit quiet and empty. And now, uh people are coming out to take one last look before it all shuts down.

[00:04:21]It's just so sad. It was like one by one, a triple effect.

[00:04:26]>> This was a main stop, like uh snack break, restroom break. You just think back every time you pass by, "Oh, I remember I used to stop here."

[00:04:34]>> [laughter] >> Yeah, a good place to stretch your legs, have some fun, enjoy a snack, absolutely. Now again, operations are expected to end by July 4th, but uh for many people here today, this already feels like the end of an era, and really the loss of one of the most recognizable stops on the way to or from Las Vegas.

[00:04:55]Reporting live in Primm tonight, I'm Melissa Bethancourt.