Posted on: December 13, 2023, 12:29h.
Last updated on: December 12, 2023, 11:56h.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel’s $275 million expansion project is progressing nicely, Tribal officials said this week.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River opened in 2015 to complement the Tribe’s primary casino, Harrah’s Cherokee. Valley River is located about 40 miles southeast of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (EBCI) larger casino resort, which dates back to 1997.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River, however, will soon feature a larger resort footprint, with more casino space and gaming machines. Speaking this week with Cherokee One Feather, the official media news source of the EBCI, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River General Manager Lumpy Lambert said construction has moved swiftly.
The casino executive said the expanded casino space should be ready in mid-2024, and the hotel is targeting a late 2024 opening.
New Lures
In September 2022, the Tribe broke ground on the $275 million project that will result in 25,000 square feet of additional casino space, with 400 new slots, 12 table games, a 10-table World Series of Poker (WSOP) room, and a casino bar with 14 tabletop positions.
A new hotel tower will add nearly 300 guest rooms to the destination, plus an indoor pool and fitness center. A 1,700-space parking garage and a full-service spa and salon are also being built.
Giving guests more reasons to visit the southwestern part of the state, where Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is located, is one reason for the expansion. The tribal property relies on visitors from Tennessee and Georgia, where casinos don’t currently exist.
We recognized the necessity of an expansion when we opened eight years ago,” Lambert said. “We are certainly looking forward to the opportunity to grow and expand our market.”
Lambert says the new facilities will create about 100 permanent positions and the subsequent revenue will further support the EBCI’s economic prosperity.
“The expansion can assist in not only the continued development of Tribal programs but Tribal distribution for enrolled members and job opportunities,” Lambert added. “Assisting Tribal distribution and Tribal programming are our primary goals for the EBCI.”
Tribes Maintain Casino Monopoly
State legislative efforts in the Raleigh capital to legalize commercial casinos fizzled earlier this year. The push to bring Las Vegas casino resorts to the Tar Heel State, however, is expected to recommence next year.
State Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) is championing the commercial casino undertaking. For now, the EBCI and Catawba Indian Nation maintain their monopoly on casino gambling through their Class III gaming compacts with the state.
The Tribes are losing their grip on sports betting after state lawmakers legalized commercial sports betting this year. The state is allowing eight professional sports stadiums and venues to pursue retail sportsbooks and conduct online wagering through their third-party partners. The PGA Tour and NASCAR have also been allowed to seek online sportsbook licenses.
The Tribes can only offer sports betting on their sovereign lands at their three casinos. Along with the two EBCI Harrah’s casinos, the Catawbas own a temporary casino called Two Kings, and hope to build a permanent resort in Kings Mountain.
When online sportsbooks go live in North Carolina, some of the Tribal bets will presumably move to the internet. In states where online sportsbooks are allowed, the bulk of the bets are facilitated via the internet.
