Primm, Nevada

Primm (often called Primm Valley, after one of its casinos) is a tiny community in Clark County, Nevada, United States, primarily notable for its position straddling Interstate 15 where it crosses the border between California and Nevada. It sits at the edge of Ivanpah Dry Lake.

The community's economy is based on its three casinos, which attract gamblers from Southern California wanting to stop before reaching Las Vegas 40 miles to the north, or as a last chance to gamble before leaving Nevada. The community's hotels also serve as reliever hotels on the occasions when Las Vegas hosts major conventions.

Attractions

* Buffalo Bill's
* Primm Valley Resort
* Whiskey Pete's

Primm is also home to a large outlet mall, the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, gas stations, fast food restaurants, and apartments for the workers of Primm. While not a census designated place, the 2000 census population for the community is 436. A Clark County Comprehensive Planning Department estimate placed the population at 284 as of July 1 2006, apparently using different boundaries for the area. In the December 5 2007 article in Las Vegas Review Journal, Primm now has a population of around 1,132. It was once referred to as Stateline, Nevada, and then Jean, Nevada. The Gold Strike Hotel and Gambling Hall now sits where Jean, Nevada is considered to be.

A convenience store on the California side of the border is the closest access for southern Nevadans wishing to play the California State Lottery, and is said to be the highest-selling location in the entire state. The only road access to the store is from Nevada. There is also a golf course and resort on the California side.

A new airport for Las Vegas is planned to be built north of Primm, and the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev project has proposed building a maglev train that will pass through.

History

In the 1920s Pete MacIntyre owned a gas-station at the stateline. Pete apparently had a difficult time making ends meet selling gas so he resorted to a little bootlegging. Primm history remembers him as Whiskey Pete. When Whiskey Pete died in 1933, legend has it that he wanted to be buried standing up with a bottle of bootleg in his hands so he could watch over the area. Whiskey Pete was accidentally exhumed while workers were building a connecting bridge from Whiskey Pete's to Buffalo Bills Hotel and Casino (on the other side of I-15). The body was moved and is now said to be buried in one of the caves where Pete cooked up his moonshine. [cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QotyuGNrklEC&pg=PA192&lpg=PA192&dq=Buffalo%2BBills%2BExhumed%2BPrimm&source=web&ots=cma88738Pu&sig=DpFcRR8lBlnmyiDOwE18zUiMqpo#PPA192,M1 |title= Weird Las Vegas and Nevada |format= |work= ]

Primm, previously known by the informal name of State Line, was named in the late 1990s to avoid confusion with Stateline, Nevada which is located in northern Nevada. It is named after casino owner Ernest Jay Primm.Fact|date=April 2008

Primm was the end location for the 2004 DARPA Grand Challenge, and the starting and ending location for the 2005 version of the DARPA Grand Challenge.

On October 8 2005 the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge was run in the desert around Primm. The $2 million prize was won by a team from Stanford University.

The 1997 World's Strongest Man competition was held here.

References