{{Short description|Hotel and casino in Nevada, United States}} {{Distinguish|Buffalo Bills}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox casino | name = Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino | theme = [[American frontier|Old West]] | location = [[Primm, Nevada]], U.S. | address = 31700 [[Las Vegas Boulevard]] | logo = Buffalo Bill's logo.svg | image = Primm, Nevada (2).jpg | rooms = 1,242 | date_opened = {{Start date and age|1994|5|14}} | date_closed = {{End date and age|2025|7|7}} | space_gaming = {{Convert|61372|sqft|abbr=on}} | attractions = [[Desperado (roller coaster)|Desperado]]<br>Adventure Canyon Log Flume<br>Frog Hopper<br>Turbo Drop (1997-2017)<br>Zone Arcade<br>[[Movie theater]] | shows = [[Star of the Desert Arena]] | notable_restaurants = [[Denny's]] | owner = [[Affinity Gaming]] | renovations = 1995, 2004, 2010, 2015, 2020–2022 | names_pre = | website = {{URL|primmvalleyresorts.com}} }} '''Buffalo Bill's''' is a defunct [[hotel]] and [[casino]] in [[Primm, Nevada]], United States, at the [[California]] state line. It was one of the [[Primm Valley Resorts]], owned and operated by [[Affinity Gaming]]. It had 1,242 guest rooms and suites at the time of its closure. The hotel was home to the [[Desperado (roller coaster)|Desperado]] roller coaster, a [[hypercoaster]] with a 225-foot drop, and a top speed of 80 mph, a [[Log flume (ride)|log flume ride]], as well as a pool in the shape of a [[American Bison|buffalo]]. The hotel-casino had two hotel room towers: the Annie Oakley Tower (the A Tower) and the Buffalo Bill Tower (B Tower). It was named after [[Buffalo Bill]].
The {{Convert|61372|sqft|abbr=on}} casino had over 1,700 slot machines, as well as table games and a race and sports book.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://gaming.nv.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=3428|title=Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage|date=|publisher=[[Nevada Gaming Control Board]]|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> Buffalo Bill's was also home of the [[Star of the Desert Arena]], a 6,500-seat arena designed for concerts.{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}}
==History== The casino opened on May 14, 1994<ref>{{cite news|last=Benston|first=Liz|title=Primm's lure: Freebies|url=http://lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jul/02/free-turns-profit/|date=July 2, 2009|newspaper=[[Las Vegas Sun]]|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref> with 592 hotel rooms, and a new tower was added in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.primadonna.com/pages/pvr_frameset.asp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20031203222412/http://www.primadonna.com/pages/pvr_frameset.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2003 |title=Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino Fact Sheet |year=2002 |publisher=[[Primm Valley Resorts|Primm Valley Casino Resorts]] |accessdate=January 16, 2004 }}</ref>
[[File:Primm Valley logo.png|thumb|right|Terrible's Primm Valley Casino Resorts logo (2007–2011)]] The ribbon cutting for the change of ownership for Primm Valley Resorts from [[MGM Resorts International|MGM Mirage]] to [[Affinity Gaming|Herbst Gaming]] was held at Buffalo Bill's on April 10, 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=Herbst Gaming|newspaper=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]]|page=D1}}</ref>
Herbst undertook a marketing strategy of appealing especially to California Latinos, including the addition of Spanish-speaking dealers, charter bus trips from the [[Inland Empire (California)|Inland Empire]], concerts by [[Norteño (music)|norteño]] musician [[Ramón Ayala]], and a Mexican restaurant branded with Ayala's name.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lapan|first=Tovin|title=New restaurant in Primm pays homage to 'King of the Accordion'|url=http://lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/18/new-restaurant-primm-pays-homage-king-accordion/|date=February 18, 2012|newspaper=[[Las Vegas Sun]]|accessdate=March 1, 2012}}</ref>
The interiors and exteriors of the casino were used in the movie ''[[Top of the World (1997 film)|Top of the World]]'' (1997) starring [[Peter Weller]], [[Dennis Hopper]] and [[Tia Carrere]]. Until 2019, the roller coaster was usually running only on weekends.
In March 2019, Cuca's Mexican Food, originally from [[Redlands, California]], opened their first hotel location in Nevada within Buffalo Bill's. This restaurant is an extension of the brand that has 6 locations in the Inland Empire of California.
===Final years and closure=== Buffalo Bill's closed on March 17, 2020, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada|COVID-19 pandemic]]. It underwent renovations, which included restaurant upgrades and new slot machines, before re–opening on December 23, 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=David |title=Buffalo Bill's in Primm reopens |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/buffalo-bills-in-primm-reopens-2699865/ |access-date=December 25, 2022 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=December 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Buffalo Bill's in Primm reopens to customers after closed since March 2020 |url=https://www.fox5vegas.com/video/2022/12/23/buffalo-bills-primm-reopens-customers-after-closed-since-march-2020/ |access-date=December 25, 2022 |work=KVVU |date=December 23, 2022}}</ref> However, when the property re–opened, the roller coaster and log flume did not re–open again due to [[Clark County Commission|Clark County regulations]].
Following a decline in business around the Primm area, it was announced that the hotel and casino would close again on July 7, 2025, with the property only operating on special events.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mehaffey |first1=John |title=Buffalo Bill’s Casino in Primm Closing |url=https://vegasadvantage.com/buffalo-bills-casino-in-primm-closing/ |access-date=July 2, 2025 |work=vegasadvantage.com |publisher=Advantage Media |date=June 30, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Powel | first=James | title=Buffalo Bill's casino will only open for special events | website=USA TODAY | date=July 3, 2025 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/07/02/buffalo-bills-primm-closing/84452688007/ | access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref>
==Bonnie and Clyde's death car== The automobile in which [[Bonnie and Clyde]] were killed was on display at Buffalo Bill’s. It was previously on display at [[Whiskey Pete's]] until the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 1990s, the vehicle was exhibited for several years at [[Primm Valley Resort]]<ref>[http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2894 "Bonnie and Clyde's Death Car."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616104802/http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2894 |date=June 16, 2009 }} Roadside America.com. Retrieved June 10, 2009.</ref> and Terrible's Gold Ranch Casino in Verdi<ref>[http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2894 "Bonnie and Clyde's Death Car."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428140715/http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2894 |date=April 28, 2011 }} Roadside America.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.</ref> before being returned to Whiskey Pete's in July 2011. It was then moved back to Primm Valley Resort briefly before being moved to Buffalo Bill's in late 2022, where it resided until 2025 when it was moved back to Primm Valley Resorts after the closure of Buffalo Bill's.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-19 |title=How the ‘Bonnie and Clyde Death Car’ ended up in Primm |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-nevada/how-the-bonnie-and-clyde-death-car-ended-up-in-primm-3019565/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Tram to Primm Valley== A tram linked Buffalo Bill's to nearby [[Primm Valley Resort]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Primadonna-Buffalo Bill's UniTrak People Mover|url=http://schwagerdavis.com/pdf/15_JR15PrimmUniJR.pdf|publisher=Schwager-Davis|accessdate=September 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402092604/http://www.schwagerdavis.com/pdf/15_JR15PrimmUniJR.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The multi-car tram was designed by Schwager-Davis to their UniTrak standard. Despite its name, the tram actually ran on two guideways. Each car accommodated 24 people; the four-car trains seated 96 people with no standees. The system transported 2,200 people, per hour, per direction (pphpd). An attendant supervised each tram, although the tram was controlled by a computer.
After disembarking at the Primm Valley Resort station, passengers could connect to a free single-car tram across I-15 to Whiskey Pete's.<ref>{{cite web|title=Primadonna Shuttle System Retrofit|url=http://schwagerdavis.com/pdf/16_JR16PrimmJR.pdf|publisher=Schwager-Davis|accessdate=September 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402092612/http://www.schwagerdavis.com/pdf/16_JR16PrimmJR.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Both services have not run since the mid 2010's.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mehaffey |first=John |date=2024-12-21 |title=Whiskey Pete’s in Primm Quietly Closed {{!}} Vegas Advantage |url=https://vegasadvantage.com/whiskey-petes-in-primm-quietly-closed/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==In popular culture== The Bison Steve Hotel, a location featured in the 2010 video game ''[[Fallout: New Vegas]]'', is based on Buffalo Bill’s.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.vicharkness.co.uk/2019/04/14/the-fallout-new-vegas-experience-irl-primm/|title=The Fallout New Vegas experience, IRL: Primm|date=April 14, 2019|first=Vic|last=Harkness}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lasvegasweekly.com/news/2025/may/15/your-guide-to-a-fallout-new-vegas-scavenger-hunt/|title=YOUR GUIDE TO A ‘FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS’ REAL-LIFE SCAVENGER HUNT AS THE HIT VIDEO GAME CELEBRATES 15 YEARS |first1=Geoff|last1=Carter|first2=Amber|last2=Sampson|first3=Tyler|last3=Schneider|date=May 25, 2025|work=lasvegasweekly.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.primmvalleyresorts.com/}}
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[[Category:1994 establishments in Nevada]] [[Category:2025 disestablishments in Nevada]] [[Category:Affinity Gaming]] [[Category:Defunct casino hotels in Primm, Nevada]] [[Category:Casinos completed in 1994]] [[Category:Casinos in Primm, Nevada]] [[Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1994]] [[Category:Hotels in Primm, Nevada]] [[Category:Resorts in Nevada]] [[Category:UniTrak people movers]] [[Category:Convention centers in Nevada]]