According to a rumor sweeping the roller coaster community, Gene Staples has made “a sizeable offer” to purchase the world famous Desperado from Buffalo Bill’s casino in Primm, Nev. (And yes, there is a roller coaster community, and it worships Gene Staples.)
Savior of the Screams
Staples, a Chicago-based commercial real estate developer, appears when the lines grow short and thrill-seeker lose faith. Since 2018, he has acquired and revitalized several historic but struggling amusement parks known for their classic coasters.
In 2020, Staples’ company, IB Parks & Entertainment, purchased Indiana Beach in Monticello, Ind., a beloved lakeside park dating back to 1926 that had teetered on the brink of closure due to financial woes.
Under Staples’ ownership, the Cornball Express and the Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain were spared from the scrapyard. Staples also rebuilt the All American Triple Loop — the world’s last surviving Schwarzkopf triple-loop coaster from the 1980s — and boosted park attendance a reported 25%.
Staples has since expanded his portfolio, buying Clementon Park in New Jersey and Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World in New York.
But He’s Not Buying Desperado
“Unfortunately that rumor is not true,” Staples told Casino.org by email. “Although we had discussions earlier this year about the coaster and the amazing Buffalo Bill’s property, nothing ended up happening.”
Designed by Arrow Dynamics and fabricated by Intermountain Lift, Inc., the Desperado opened in 1994 as the world’s tallest coaster. It measured 209 feet tall — though it managed a first drop of 225 feet by whisking riders through an underground tunnel at the pit of that drop.
“Desperado was an amazing coaster and one of the best Arrow produced,” Staples said. “I had the pleasure to ride it years ago, and would love to see it remain operational as part of Arrow’s legacy.”
Desperado closed in after it was deemed unsafe by Clark County on December 14, 2019. According to this 2022 Instagram report, Affinity couldn’t afford to make the necessary approvements to render it operational — though it’s equally likely that the cost just didn’t make sense.
Primm has experienced a steady decline in business for the past 20 years, but the pandemic dealt it a death blow.
This July, Buffalo Bill’s closed, following Whiskey Pete’s last December. (Affinity vehemently insists that Buffalo Bill’s is not closed because it still opens for concert and private events.)
That leaves Primm Valley Resorts as the only Primm property still operating 24/7.
Affinity appears to be pinning its hope on a resurgence sparked by the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport. Scheduled to debut six miles north of Primm, it’s expected to handle up to 35 million travelers a year.
The lack of a Staples deal means at least that Desperado has a chance of one day reopening where it closed. (Staples was likely to move it to one of his amusement parks, though that was one of our questions he declined to answer.)
However, the airport won’t open until at least 2037. Can Desperado survive a wait like that — in the elements with zero TLC?
“Affinity was kind enough to give us a tour of the amusement equipment at Buffalo Bills earlier this year,” Staples told Casino.org. “They are doing an amazing job of maintaining the rides to ensure they are properly stored for potential future use. The way the Buffalo Bill’s facility was built to house these rides is really second to none.
“And hopefully, with the ever-changing evolution of Las Vegas, the rides will be brought back to life sooner than later.”
The post Roller Coaster Rescuer Gene Staples Denies Desperado Purchase appeared first on Casino.org.
