The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on Tuesday approved a plan to expand its casino hotel. This will double the size of its casino space and provide 1,000 new jobs to Western North Carolina, which will be added to the 1,800 employees the casino currently has.
The tribal council approved the $650 million expansion in order to make Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel a destination resort. Construction is likely to begin by midyear, with the completion possible by 2010.
The five-year project would add a hotel tower, retail stores, more casino, a new spa, a 3,000-seat showroom and new restaurants. The existing casino features an 88,000-square-foot gaming space and offers only video-style gambling, with 3,500 slot, video poker and video blackjack games.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel makes an estimated $155 million a year. About half of that is given twice annually to the tribe’s 13,500 members and the rest pays for government services and helps the local economy through grants from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation.
According to a statement given by tribe officials, Principal Chief Michell Hicks will sign the resolution today.
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